“Food Science? Is that like nutrition?” This is the first question I’m usually asked when people hear that I have a college major in Food Science. While Food Science and Nutrition are linked, they aren’t exactly the same. Food Science involves all the processes that happen to a food before it is eaten, whereas nutrition is the science of what happens to food inside the body.
The Role of a Food Scientist
For a food product like milk, a Food Scientist working in a dairy processing plant would have a variety of responsibilities. The Food Scientist would work with farmers where the milk is produced, they would inspect the milk coming into the processing plant to make sure that it meets basic quality standards, they would monitor the storage conditions of the milk, they would monitor the movement of the milk through the dairy processing facility where the milk is separated into varieties like skim and whole milk, they would monitor the pasteurization process of the milk to make sure harmful bacteria are killed, they would monitor the packaging of the milk, and they would monitor the final storage and distribution of the milk.
A Variety of Roles
Since different foods are processed and stored in a variety of ways before they reach the supermarket, a Food Scientist’s role varies a lot depending on the type of food they are working with. A Food Scientist working with popcorn will want to make sure that all the little stones and pieces of dirt found in corn field won’t end up in a bag of popcorn. A Food Scientist developing a cake mix will want to make sure the cake mix is formulated to rise properly in the oven and to taste delicious.
Eating on the Job
That’s right, for many Food Scientists a big part of their job is eating. As for me, my first job out of college involved tasting and trying new foods to determine if they were suitable for a company’s “generic” line of foods. On days where I got to test potato chips, I was in heaven. But on days where I had to test things like mayonnaise and surprisingly sharp croutons, I would have rather had a desk job.
How to Become a Food Scientist
A person doesn’t need a college major in Food Science to work as a Food Scientist. Many Food Scientists have backgrounds in subjects like chemistry, biology, or microbiology. Most Food Scientists have a strong interest in cooking and eating. Finally, a Food Scientist must be comfortable working in a laboratory, test kitchen, or food production facility.
For almost every product that is sold at a grocery store, a Food Scientist has likely played some role in the formation, packaging, and distribution of that food. A Food Scientist can have a variety of roles depending on the food product they are producing. The most important job of a Food Scientist is to make sure that food is safe and delicious to eat.