Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences

Fermentation Sciences

  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Fermentation Sciences

Sweetpotato milk first gains big financial backing [faculty featured]
Jul 30, 2026

Will sweetpotato milk fill a gap in the dairy alternatives space?...

Appalachian State University researchers, backed by a $1.82 million grant, have found a new use for sweet potatoes: sweet potato milk. It features a rich texture and sweet taste with a slight tint of the signature orange hue. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Buttery, sweet and orange: This milk alternative has deep North Carolina roots [faculty featured]
Jul 27, 2026

The humble sweet potato, long considered a North Carolina staple, is at the center of innovation as it’s transformed into the latest plant-based mil...

Erik Martella

Fermentation Sciences lecturer Erik Martella named one of SevenFifty Daily’s 2026 Drinks Innovators
Jul 21, 2026

While the wine industry often casts Gen Z as a culprit for the current downturn, Erik Martella, a North Carolina winemaker with a foothold in higher e...

Three individuals wearing blue jackets in a scientific lab.

From waste to taste: Fermentation unlocks protein potential
Apr 8, 2026

Modern chemistry meets food preparation practices that date to antiquity in a protein processing lab at App State. Student researchers Jackson Johnson...

Dr. Brett Taubman is a professor and the director of the Fermentation Sciences program in Appalachian State University's A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences.

Dr. Brett Taubman featured on WUNC's The Broadside
Jan 23, 2026

From bourbon to chow chow, fermentation is everywhere in Southern food and drink. But how did this "controlled form of rotting" become so prevalent in...

Erik Martella sits on a stone wall and smiles while pouring himself a glass of red wine.

Demystifying Wine for the Next Generation [faculty featured]
Jan 9, 2026

As both an educator and winemaker, Erik Martella has spent decades thinking about how people encounter wine, not just as a beverage, but as an experie...

Dr. Brett Taubman is a professor and the director of the Fermentation Sciences program in Appalachian State University's A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences.

Dr. Brett Taubman authors chapter in upcoming ACS Symposium Series volume
Jan 6, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Brett Taubman, professor and director of the Fermentation Sciences program in Appalachian State University's A.R. Smith Department...

Dr. Nancy Asen is an assistant professor in the Appalachian State University A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences.

Dr. Nancy Asen co-authors publications in Food Research International and Food Chemistry
Jan 6, 2026

BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Nancy Asen, assistant professor in Appalachian State University's A.R. Smith Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences, is...

Erik Martella, wine specialist and lecturer in the Appalachian State University Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences, member of the CAS Advancement Council, and proprietor of Erik Martella Wines, chats with students at Vidalia Restaurant and Wine Bar before the beginning of the inaugural

Students learn about wine and fine dining through new program sponsored by Erik Martella
Nov 12, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — On Wednesday, October 22, and Thursday, October 23, 10 students representing the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and College of Fin...

Fermentation Sciences majors Finn Adams (left), Chris Martin (second from left), and Dominic Bernardi (third from left) learned about winemaking from Will Burrow ’20 (fourth from left), head winemaker at Grandfather Mountain Vineyard in Banner Elk.

Fermentation Sciences students gain hands-on experience from local businesses
Oct 15, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — Erik Martella, wine specialist and lecturer in the Appalachian State University Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences...

Subscribe