1940-2021
Food Science (1969-2006)

John C. Bruhn, Emeritus, was the founding Director of the Dairy Research and Information Center from its inception in 1995 to 2008, a program that helped facilitate the conduct of dairy production and dairy foods research and education within the University of California, Davis. The program allowed those external to the campus to seek research and educational resources from the university. Dr. Bruhn was a Dairy Foods Processing Specialist with Cooperative Extension in the Department of Food Science and Technology. As a Cooperative Extension Specialist, he had the responsibility of developing applied research and educational programs for the California dairy foods processing industry.

Born and reared in Ohio, he attended Michigan State University, receiving a B.S. in food science in 1962. His Ph.D. is in dairy bacteriology-biochemistry from UC Davis. His research and educational programs for the dairy industry have emphasized factors relating to the quality and safety of raw milk and of processed milk and dairy foods.

Dr. Bruhn was an active member of many California dairy and food organizations, including the California Dairy Industries Association, the California Association of Dairy and Milk Sanitarians (CADMS), the California Creamery Operators Association, and the Northern California Section of the Institute of Food Technologists. Nationally, he was an active member with the Institute of Food Technologists, the American Dairy Science Association, and the International Association of Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians (IAMFES - now the International Association of Food Protection).

Some recognitions of his problem-solving research and educational programs for the dairy foods industry include: Educator's Award and Citation Award (1999), from the International Association of Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians; Sanitarian Award, from the California Association of Dairy and Milk Sanitarians, Outstanding Alumnus Award from Michigan State University, the Extension Award from American Dairy Science Association, and Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists. In the year 2000, he was elected Fellow of the International Association for Food Protection (formerly IAMFES). In 2021, he was recognized by the International Association for Food Protection as a 50+ year Milestone Member. 

John spent time cataloguing the Don Lord Milk Bottle Collection, which was donated to UC Davis in 2001.  

Memorial gifts may be made to the John C. Bruhn Dairy Food Scholarship.

News

• Remembering John C. Bruhn, Ph.D. - University of California Cooperative Extension Specialist Emeritus
• John Bruhn recognized by IAFP as 50+ year Milestone Member, FST News, March 3, 2021
• "Milkman John Bruhn" - Western Milk and Ice Cream News, April 1971 (PDF 6.3 MB)

John M. Bruhn Dairy Foods Scholarship 

This scholarship is named in honor of John C. Bruhn, Ph.D., who served as a Dairy Foods Processing Specialist with Cooperative Extension in the Department Food Science and Technology until 2006. He began his career after receiving his Ph.D. in dairy bacteriology-biochemistry from UC Davis in 1969. The endowment was established in 2007 with gifts from industry organizations including the California Association of Dairy Milk Sanitarians, the California Creamery Operators Association and the California Dairy Industries Association in addition to gifts from the Bruhn family. It is awarded to an undergraduate or Master’s student with an interest in the dairy foods industry with preference given to Master’s students.