Georg Arne Borgström was born Gustav Adolf in Sweden on April 5, 1912. He earned a B.S. in 1932, a M.S. in 1933, and a D.Sc. in 1939 from the University of Lund in Sweden. Borgström was well established in the scientific community before emigrating from Sweden. He was the recipient of one of Sweden’s highest honors, the Wahlberg Gold Medal. In 1956 Borgström immigrated to the United States and became a naturalized citizen in 1962. Borgström served as a professor of food science at Michigan State University from 1956 to 1981 and a professor of geography from 1966 to 1981. During his career, Borgström authored eight books, hundreds of articles, and 48 chapters, and edited two books. He received many awards, including a Distinguished Faculty award from MSU in 1969 and the International Socrates prize in 1968.

Borgström married Greta Ingrid Stromback and had three children: Lars, Gerd Borgström Linder, and Sven. He died February 7, 1990 in Goteborg, Sweden.