Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences

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

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

Faculty and Staff, Fermentation Sciences, Grants and Research
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 milk.

Faculty and Staff, Fermentation Sciences, Grants and Research
Dr. Brett Taubman holds a glass of Rootsii.

This App State Researcher is Taking Wasted Sweet Potatoes — And Turning Them Into Milk [faculty featured]
Jun 4, 2026

North Carolina may be famous for its beaches and Blue Ridge Mountains, but the state has a lesser-known claim to fame.

Faculty and Staff, Grants and Research
App State professor Dr. Brett Taubman, left, and Fermentation Sciences Lab manager Daniel Parker have developed the sweetpotato milk Rootsii in fermentation lab facilities at App State. The locally sourced, sustainable and allergy-friendly product received $1.82 million in funding from NCInnovation, with a goal of bringing the milk from proof of concept to store shelves over the next two years. Photo by Chase Reynolds

From the field to the fridge: $1.82M NCInnovation grant supports sweetpotato startup at App State
May 15, 2026

BOONE, N.C.

Faculty and Staff, Grants and Research
App State alumni Masa and Seleen Al Horani. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Meet graduates Masa and Seleen Al Horani ’26
May 14, 2026

BOONE, N.C.

Alumni, Awards, Chemistry, Grants and Research
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.

Chemistry, Faculty and Staff, Fermentation Sciences, Grants and Research, Students
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.

Faculty and Staff, Fermentation Sciences, Grants and Research
Dr. Bob Swarthout is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences and Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences.

Dr. Bob Swarthout co-authors chemical analysis of USS Arizona oil leak
Nov 10, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — Dr.

Department News, Faculty and Staff, Grants and Research
Top: App State senior Lex Foote, a Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) Scholar in math from Linville, demonstrates an equation on the whiteboard. Bottom: From left to right: Dr. Rahman Tashakkori, Dr. Andrew Heckert, Dr. Mohammad Ali Javidian, Dr. Carol Babyak and Dr. Roshani Silwal. Photos by Chase Reynolds
Dr. Jefferson Bates is an associate professor in the Appalachian State University Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences. Photo by Chase Reynolds

Dr. Jefferson Bates publishes updated computational method in the Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation
Mar 17, 2025

BOONE, N.C. — Dr.

Chemistry, Faculty and Staff, Grants and Research
Dr. Brett Taubman, professor and director of the Fermentation Sciences program at Appalachian State University

Dr. Brett Taubman featured on Appalachian Excellence podcast
Feb 13, 2025

On this episode of Appalachian Excellence, we explore the fascinating world of fermentation with Dr.

Faculty and Staff, Fermentation Sciences, Grants and Research
Masa Al Horani, Dr. Petia Bobadova and Seleen Al Horani at the American Chemical Society's Spring 2024 Meeting in New Orleans, LA. Photo submitted

Chemistry students, professor publish study in Inorganic Chemistry
Nov 6, 2024

BOONE, N.C. — Dr.

Chemistry, Faculty and Staff, Grants and Research, Students