From its inception as a land grant institution, the University of Arizona has been the center of food research in Arizona. From agricultural sciences to folklore, cutting-edge nutrition to ancient food systems, UA researchers have played an important role in documenting and promoting the borderland culinary heritage that makes Tucson a distinct food city.
This expertise contributed to Tucson’s selection as the first and only city in North America to be named a City of Gastronomy by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
