Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen

What Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen does

The Department of Food Science (Institut for Fødevarevidenskab), also operating as KU FOOD and UCPH FOOD, is a department within the Faculty of Science at the University of Copenhagen (Københavns Universitet) and self-describes as Scandinavia's largest university research institution in the food area. The department serves three primary constituents: BSc, MSc, and PhD students in food science and technology (including a Master Brewer specialization offered jointly with the Scandinavian School of Brewing); Danish and international food-industry companies seeking research partnerships and facility access; and academic research institutions collaborating on national and international projects. Operations are organized across four named sections: Design and Consumer Behavior; Ingredient and Dairy Technology; Food Analytics and Biotechnology; and Food Microbiology, Gut Health, and Fermentation.

The department operates 13 specialized research facilities including three NMR spectrometers (Bruker Avance III 600 and 500 MHz, plus an 80 MHz benchtop), an LC-QTOF-MS platform (Bruker impact II) with MetaboScape, GNPS, and SIRIUS for metabolite identification, GC-MS, Orbitrap Exploris 480 and TSQ Quantis mass spectrometers, an ISO-standard sensory lab with up to 20 panel members, submerged and solid-state fermentation bioreactors, DSC thermal analysis (Mettler Toledo and Setaram Micro DSC III), UHPLC, genomic sequencing (TapeStation 4200, Real-Time PCR, GridION), microbial imaging, and the Future Consumer Lab combining EEG with controlled taste and smell dosing. The FOODHAY Open Innovation consortium, established November 2019 with a 103 M DKK (~13.8 M EUR) total budget including a 51.5 M DKK Danish Ministry grant, extends infrastructure access through partners Aarhus University (AU FOOD and AU MAPP), DTU FOOD, the Danish Technological Institute, and Arla Foods amba.

Funding flows from three streams: base public higher-education funding from the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science, competitive research grants from national and EU programmes, and industry collaboration agreements for joint research, consulting, and facility usage. Educational programmes follow Danish government tuition policies; facility usage is priced on a pay-as-you-go basis differentiated between internal and external commercial users, with fees dependent on machine-operation expertise required. Distribution is direct-to-enterprise for industry collaboration and direct-to-students for degree programmes, with the alumni and Friends of FOOD network providing post-graduation engagement through approximately two yearly events.

Name

Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen

Legal name

Københavns Universitet

Website

https://food.ku.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen (KU FOOD / UCPH FOOD) is Scandinavia's largest university food research institution, operating 13 specialized research facilities and offering BSc, MSc, and PhD programs in food science and technology alongside industry collaboration agreements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education & Food Science Research

NAICS

Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen) (AFALAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Plant-Based & Alternative Dairy Cultures (Vegan Yogurt/Cheese, Fermented Plant Beverages) (AFAJAJAG)

Keywords

• Food science research
• Higher education
• Analytical chemistry
• Sensory evaluation
• Food technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Frederiksberg

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Higher Education Funding: Public university department funded by the Danish government through the University of Copenhagen. Receives base funding for educational activities and research from the Ministry of Higher Education and Science.
2. Research Grants: Competitive research funding from national and international sources including the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science, EU research programmes, and innovation funds. FOODHAY received 51.5 M DKK grant with total consortium budget of 103 M DKK.
3. Industry Collaboration: Collaboration agreements with food industry partners for research projects, consulting, and facility usage. Cooperation agreements established at the start of research collaborations with external partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Department of Food Science (UCPH FOOD / KU FOOD) is Scandinavia's largest university food research institution, providing higher education (Bachelor, Master, and PhD programmes in food science and technology) and conducting research across food microbiology, food chemistry, food analytics, metabolomics, food processing technology, sensory quality, and consumer perception. It operates 13 specialized research facilities and platforms accessible to internal and external users, and delivers the FOODHAY national open-innovation research infrastructure consortium.

Product overview

The Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH FOOD) is Scandinavia's largest university food research institution offering a portfolio of research facilities, analytical platforms, and educational programmes. The department provides access to 13 specialized research facilities including Aroma Lab, Brewery, Fermentation Platform, Food Proteomics Platform, GC-MS, Genomic Platform, LC-MS, Microbial Imaging and Interaction Platform, Nano-inXider, NMR Platform, Sensory Lab, Thermal Analysis, and UHPLC Lab, collectively supporting food chemistry, microbiology, processing technology, and consumer science research. Educational offerings span Bachelor and Master of Science programmes in Food Science and Technology, as well as PhD research programmes. The department also hosts the FOODHAY consortium, a national research infrastructure providing access to biomarker screening, fermentation, proteomic, metabolomic, sensory, and food biophysics platforms through collaboration with Aarhus University, DTU, and industry partners including Arla Foods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Future Consumer Lab (FCL): A research unit combining research activities and laboratories to study consumer food preferences and how food design can be targeted at specific target groups and eating behavior patterns.

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Food Science Undergraduate degree programme training students in food science, food production, food safety, and food processing technology.
• Master of Science in Food Science and Technology Postgraduate degree programme providing advanced education in food science with specialisation options including brewing science (Master Brewer) and dairy technology.
• PhD Programme in Food Science Doctoral research programme in food science with an active PhD student network and professional development workshops.
• Aroma Lab Laboratory for aroma and flavour analysis in food products, equipped for sensory evaluation and chemical profiling.
• Brewery (Pilot-scale brewing facility) Pilot-scale brewing research facility for studying brewing science, fermentation processes, and beer quality.
• Fermentation Platform Platform for fermentation research including submerged and solid-state fermentation bioreactors (including Flowbot ONE, iCinac, BioLector II) for studying microbial fermentation processes in food production.
• Food Proteomics Platform Advanced proteomics laboratory using mass spectrometry for protein analysis in food samples, including Orbitrap Exploris 480 and TSQ Quantis instruments.
• GC-MS Platform Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry platform for volatile compound analysis in foods, flavour profiling, and contaminant detection.
• Genomic Platform DNA sequencing and genomic analysis platform including TapeStation 4200, Real-Time PCR, IFC Controller RX, and GridION instruments for food microbiology and genetics research.
• LC-MS Platform Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry platform based on LC-QTOF-MS (impact II, Bruker Daltonics) for untargeted metabolite profiling in complex biological samples including foods, biofluids, and fermentation products; integrated with MetaboScape, GNPS, and SIRIUS software.
• Microbial Imaging and Interaction Platform Microscopy and imaging platform for studying microbial interactions in food systems and gut microbiology.
• Nano-inXider Nanoparticle characterization instrument for food nanotechnology research and analysis.
• NMR Platform Nuclear Magnetic Resonance platform with three spectrometers (600 MHz and 500 MHz Bruker Avance III, and 80 MHz Benchtop Spinsolve) for untargeted screening of food and biofluid samples.
• Sensory Lab ISO-standard sensory evaluation laboratory with panels for testing sensory properties of foods, consumer acceptance testing, and preference studies, accommodating up to 20 panel members.
• Thermal Analysis Platform Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) platform with Mettler Toledo DSC and Setaram Micro DSC III for thermal property analysis of food materials over wide temperature ranges.
• UHPLC Lab Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography laboratory for rapid and high-resolution separation of food components.
• Future Consumer Lab Consumer research laboratory combining sensory evaluation, brain scanning (EEG), and electrophysiological analyses to study food preferences and consumer behaviour.
• FOODHAY Open Innovation FOOD & Health Laboratory National open-innovation research infrastructure consortium providing biomarker screening, food fermentation, proteomic, metabolomic, sensory, consumer, and food biophysics platforms across Danish universities (KU FOOD, Aarhus University FOOD and MAPP Centre, DTU FOOD) and industry partners including Arla Foods amba and the Danish Technological Institute.

Quantifiable outcome

• Scandinavia's largest university research institution in food science
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aarhus University Department of Food Science (AU FOOD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Partner in FOODHAY consortium - Open Innovation FOOD & Health Laboratory. AU FOOD hosts the main FOODHAY coordination and infrastructure including biomarker and screening platform instruments.
• Aarhus University MAPP Centre (AU MAPP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Partner in FOODHAY consortium focusing on research on customer relations in the food sector. Contributes consumer behavior expertise to the consortium.
• Danish Technological Institute (DTI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Partner in FOODHAY consortium providing technological expertise and industrial perspective to the research infrastructure.
• Technical University of Denmark National Food Institute (DTU FOOD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Partner in FOODHAY consortium bringing expertise from Denmark's national food research institute to the collaboration.
• Arla Foods ambacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Industrial partner in FOODHAY consortium. Arla Foods is one of Europe's largest dairy companies and contributes industry perspective and potential application pathways for research outcomes.
• Danish Cancer SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Danish Whole Grain Partnership along with research units and companies producing grain products. Collaborates to convey knowledge about grains and whole grains to increase whole grain consumption in Denmark.
• Scandinavian School of BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement combining forces with UCPH to offer Master Brewer education. Students receive both MSc in Food Science & Technology from the university and Diploma Master Brewer title from the private institution.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU): NMBU is a Scandinavian peer university with food science research strength, particularly in food quality, dairy, and sustainable food production. It serves overlapping Nordic academic and industry stakeholder interests.
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU): SLU is a Scandinavian peer institution with food and agricultural research programs operating in the same Nordic region. It serves as a regional competitor for Scandinavian food science talent and EU research funding.
• University of Helsinki - Department of Food and Nutrition: University of Helsinki is a Nordic peer institution with food science research and education offerings. It operates in the same Scandinavian/Northern European academic ecosystem and competes for talent and EU funding.

Direct peers

• Wageningen University & Research: Wageningen is consistently ranked the world's #1 university in agriculture and food science. It is directly comparable as a comprehensive food science research and education institution with strong industry collaboration and broad research infrastructure spanning food chemistry, microbiology, processing, and consumer science.
• ETH Zurich - Department of Health Sciences and Technology: ETH Zurich is a leading European technical university with a comparable food science and nutrition research profile. It competes for talent, grants, and industry partnerships in similar food chemistry, food processing, and nutritional science areas.
• Technical University of Denmark (DTU FOOD): DTU FOOD is Denmark's national food research institute and a direct peer within Denmark, partnered with KU FOOD in the FOODHAY consortium. It offers comparable food science research infrastructure, educational programmes, and industry collaboration models focused on food technology, microbiology, and nutrition.
• University of Reading - Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences: University of Reading has a long-standing food science programme comparable in research scope (food chemistry, microbiology, sensory science, nutrition) and industry partnership model, particularly strong in brewing science.
• Aarhus University Department of Food Science (AU FOOD): AU FOOD is the closest Danish peer department and a direct FOODHAY consortium partner hosting main coordination. It operates with similar structure (food science research and education, four research sections, industry partnerships) and serves overlapping student and industry populations.
• Cornell University - Department of Food Science: Cornell's food science department is a globally leading peer with comparable structure (research, education, extension/industry collaboration) covering food chemistry, microbiology, processing, and sensory science at a top-ranked US university.

Emerging players

• Danish Technological Institute (DTI): DTI is a FOODHAY consortium partner providing applied food technology and industrial research services. While a research institute rather than a university, it is a peer in food industry collaboration and applied research infrastructure in Denmark.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-food-science-university-of-copenhagen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen