Yeast is an excellent microorganism used for fermenting foods into beer, wine and cheese. However, unwanted yeasts can also spoil dairy products, fruit juices, and more. Currently, yeast identification methods take a long time to process, but many foods are already on the market before then. To combat these problems, UC Davis researchers Hyeon Woo (Howard) Park, J. Mason Earles, and Nitin Nitin experimented with deep learning to create a yeast classification model that can provide accurate results in 1/20 of the typical time.
Nestled among the rolling hills of Napa Valley and surrounded by award-winning wineries like Opus One and Robert Mondavi lies a gem of the research and winemaking world: Oakville Station.
Anita Oberholster, a wine chemist and professor of Cooperative Extension in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at University of California, Davis, died Saturday after a long battle with cancer. She was 50.
Food and wine are more than just great flavors – they reflect the stories of communities and traditions. Darrell Corti, a Sacramento food and wine expert, has spent a lifetime sharing those stories, enriching California’s culinary landscape with his introduction of new tastes, ingredients and varietals.
In a celebration of friendship and fermentation, the 2024 UC Davis Iron Brew competition has crowned Brew La-La as this year’s winner. With each sip, this Belgian blonde ale features hints of honeysuckle, wildflowers and citrus blossoms that intertwine with subtle undertones of vanilla, bubble gum and honey.
An interdisciplinary team of scientists and researchers from University of California, Davis, are studying agave plants in the Golden State as farmers are turning to the crop as a potential drought-tolerant option of the future.
Ben Montpetit, a yeast geneticist and biochemist, is the new chair of the Department of Viticulture and Enology at University of California, Davis.
Montpetit joined UC Davis in 2016 and became department vice chair in 2021.
In his new role, he plans to enhance student offerings, continue to advance diversity efforts and foster investment in students, faculty, staff and department operations.
The University of California, Davis, is leading the establishment of a new Integrative Center for Alternative Meat and Protein, or iCAMP. The center will work toward large-scale commercialization and technological advancement of alternative proteins, including cultivated meat (from animal cells grown in large fermentors), plant- and fungal-based foods, and innovative hybrids that combine conventional meat products with alternative proteins.
On June 7, 2023, the Wine Advisory Task Force recognized Robert Mondavi Institute Director and Professor Emeritus Andrew Waterhouse with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The California State Fair and the Wine Advisory Task Force recognize individuals and organizations for their accomplishments and service to the wine industry. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a person, family, or institution who are pioneers in the wine industry based on their lifetime contributions to the California wine industry.
As you may have heard, after five years as director, I am leaving the Robert Mondavi Institute at the end of June, one year after my professorship retirement. The Dean’s Office is searching for the next director, ideally a professor with a passion for public outreach, and hopes to appoint my replacement by July 1.
