CAREER OPTIONS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
I always associated food science and technology with lab work. Perhaps the assumption came from nearly every professional, that I knew in the field, being either a laboratory technician, technologist, or lecturer. To top it off, our internship placements were almost always in labs (testing food quality) or in factories (food processing).
One of my lecturers once asked me if I considered a career in nutrition. I responded by saying “I don’t know”. This was because I had never before considered a career in anything outside of academia, laboratories, and food processing. I basically didn’t know what my options were. I very recently learned that I love product development. Had you asked me a year back I would’ve expressed how boring I thought it was. The entire process from idea generation, testing, and finally prototyping just felt like a lot of work to me, but to my own surprise, I’ve learned that all I needed was a little exposure to help me realize what I truly enjoy doing and would consider doing down the line.
The best part about food science is that it is attractive to people with unique interests. Whether it is a passion for food, innovation, cooking, management, or sustainability.
Careers in Food Science and Technology
Food Microbiology
Food microbiologists ensure that food is safe to consume. They ensure that foods
comply with government health and safety regulations. Study the methods of
food spoilage and methods of preservation. Establish food legislation.
Food microbiologists can work in various industries such as food manufacturing
companies, municipalities (city of Windhoek), mines, etc.
Food Chemistry
Food chemists develop and improve foods, analyze processing methods
(cooking, canning, freezing, packing, etc), study the effects of processing on food,
improve testing methods, etc. They design and apply methods to analyze the chemical
nature of food. They work in labs, offices, farms, and processing plants.
Food Engineering
Food engineering is a scientific, academic, and professional field. Food engineers apply
principles of engineering, science, and mathematics to design and develop systems for
food processing, storing, packaging, and handling. Food engineers can work in
industry (for food manufacturing companies) and consulting, with job titles
ranging from Process Engineer to Plant Manager.
Product Development
This involves the creation of high-quality, nutritious, tasty, and innovative products.
It involves crucial steps from ideation, ingredient selection, testing, and design
to marketing and distribution. Every time you see a new product on market shelves,
you can bet a few dollars that a food scientist was involved. The primary
responsibilities of product developers are to research customer demand, develop
concepts and formulate a complete market-viable product. Fun!
Sensory Science
Work to understand the characteristics of foods, how consumers perceive them, the appeal of
food, safety, and nutrition. Study factors that influence food choices
(flavor, texture, appearance, and consumer mood).
Quality Management – Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA)
QA Managers develop testing plans and techniques to optimize the quality testing and
assurance process. They maintain a leadership position by managing the quality control
laboratory and reviewing test results. To better understand the specific roles,
knowing the difference between QC and QA is important. QA is a preventative practice
that assures compliancy of lab practices with industry quality; while QC is a reactive
process to recognize and solve quality issues in operations. This will be covered in
detail in future posts since most recently graduated individuals take up QC and
QA roles in Namibia.
Nutritional therapist
Work with clients and study their body type, composition, and nutritional deficiencies
to develop customized and detailed plans to help people switch to more balanced diets
that can help restore their bodies. Research says that Food Technologists are
eligible for MSc courses in Nutrition and Dietetics so I guess a BSc in
Food Science and Technology is a great start for those interested.
Food Toxicology
Food toxicologists conduct laboratory-based research and experiments to determine
if a particular substance can be harmful (toxic). They detect, characterize the
properties, study the fate of toxins in the body, and investigate the adverse
effects of such toxins. Do you know the natural toxin found in raw cassava?
Health and Safety Inspector
Want to work for the City of Windhoek?
Health inspectors make sure that commercial establishments such as food manufacturing plants, fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and any food service facilities comply with industry regulations on health and safety. They work for local, state, or private agencies. Imagine having the power to shut down an entire operation, it's giving Gordon Ramsay!
Food technology
Food technologists research, develop and oversee the production of food. They study the physical,
chemical, and biological properties of food and apply it to the selection, preservation,
and processing of food. Do you know the difference between food science and food technology?
Other Career Options:
Research assistant, Project Assistant, Dietitian, Production Manager, Chef, Food Auditor,
Consulting. Comment below on other career options you know.
Thank you for reading.
Sources
Agricultural recruitment specialists
Food Science & Nutrition
https://work.chron.com
https://climbtheladder.com