DAVIS, Calif. (AP) — A college in Northern California is now home to a center devoted to educating students and closely studying one of the most consumed beverages in the world known for powering people through their day — coffee.
The University of California, Davis, launched its Coffee Center in May with research focused on providing support for farmers, examining the sustainability of coffee and evaluating food safety issues, among other topics. The launch comes about a decade after the university offered its first course on the science of coffee.
At the center in Davis, which is about 14 miles (22 kilometers) west of Sacramento, Director Bill Ristenpart said historically there has been much more of an emphasis on researching a beverage like wine, and less so on studying coffee.
“We're trying to elevate coffee and make it a topic of academic research and an academic talent pipeline to help support the industry and help support what's arguably the world's most important beverage,” said Ristenpart, a professor of chemical engineering.
