FSTA Case Study: Texas Tech University

IFIS and FSTA

FSTA is the definitive way to search over fifty years of historic and emerging research in the sciences of food and health

IFIS is a not-for-profit academic publishing organisation which was founded in 1968 and specialises in supporting those who work in and study the sciences of food and health. IFIS launched the Food Science and Technology Abstracts (FSTA) database in 1969, which has since established itself as a trusted resource by researchers, librarians, scientists, students and government bodies in 158 countries across the globe.

The database provides in-depth indexing in food and health, with over 1.7 million high quality, English language abstracts originating from 84 countries and 37  languages. FSTA provides a world of expert research for users to stay well-informed and up-to-date.

"FSTA alongside other core databases…completes our needs" - Innocent Awasom, Texas Tech University


Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University | IFIS Publishing

Committed to teaching and the advancement of knowledge

Texas Tech University was founded in 1925 as a public research university. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the university as having “highest research activity”.

Many of the faculty in the University’s Department of Animal and Food Sciences are leading researchers in food science and safety, and with over 600 students, it’s essential for them to have access to the latest information in food science and technology.

Innocent Awasom is the Associate Librarian at Texas Tech University. He is responsible for collection development, liaison and outreach. Innocent spends time teaching literacy, consulting with students and working closely with research groups to help them identify relevant library resources.

To fulfil the literature needs in the Department, Innocent weighed up the coverage and available budget and chose FSTA. The database has been available for a number of years to students and researchers at Texas Tech. “It provides quality information…it’s core to the food science and technology industry,” says Innocent.


Challenges for Researchers

The sheer number of challenges facing researchers these days can be overwhelming. With the vast amount of information readily available comes the task of balancing quality and quantity, determining what is reputable, and the continuous need to stay current.

“There are many different places to look, the internet and other electronic means of accessing journals, books, and other articles make life so much easier and the search faster” (Machi et al., as cited in Terry, et al., 2013). However time constraints are a recognised barrier and therefore the necessity for efficient search functionality is critical, with an increasing “demand for high quality and reliable food science information across the globe” (Lê, 2011).


Giving your research a comprehensive edge

Researchers on a daily basis need to have the latest information at their fingertips with relevant results delivered quickly, and databases are “cited as the most effective way to locate relevant information” (Lê, 2011).


Find out more

Find and explore authoritative research directly related to the sciences of food and health, with the tool trusted by the global food community – discover FSTA for yourself with a free trial.

Or contact us:
Email: ifis@ifis.org
Phone: +44 (0) 118 988 3895

You can also download this case study here (PDF)

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