Food Scientist

Food Scientists work to make the food we eat safer and healthier. As a Food Scientist, you do that through fieldwork, lab work, and research. Typically, Food Scientists focus on one area within the food industry, such as production plant inspections, research, or nutritional analysis. General areas of focus include processing techniques, new food sources, quality assurance, and government regulation.

One aspect of your job is to experiment with food. Say, for example, your specialty is on processing techniques that reduce or replace preservatives, while maintaining the safety of the product. To do this, you evaluate each additive, and test the positive and negative affects they have on foods. In addition, you strive to create plant strains that solve global problems, such as hunger and lack of refrigeration.

Production is another popular area of focus for Food Scientists. In this position, you review processes, test equipment, and enforce government safety regulations. At a dairy, for instance, you pay attention to how the cows are treated, what they are fed, and what medications they receive. You also evaluate packaging, storage, and delivery techniques, making sure the proper refrigeration temperatures, dating, and handling procedures deliver a fresh, safe product to the stores.

Whichever area you choose, your work will likely involve lab time. In the lab, you study the makeup of different foods to identify individual components such as protein, sugar, and vitamins. Your research ensures that products adhere to Food and Drug Administration guidelines.

Wherever you are in the process, be it in investigation, research, or conclusion, your job helps create new foods, improve the ones we have, and ensure the safety of our food supply.