Food Science & Technology: What is It?
Food science draws from many disciplines, including biology, chemical engineering, and biochemistry to better understand food processes and improve food products for the public. Food scientists are often considered experts on the best ways to maximize the flavor, shelf-life, and nutritional properties of food. Food scientists and technologists take on a number of different roles in the development and manufacturing process of foods and beverages which ultimately results in a variety of career pathways within the food and beverage industry that impact the physical, microbial, and chemical makeup of food and how it is marketed before it is even placed on supermarket shelves.
Are there major differences between pursuing a career in food science and food technology? Watch this video explanation here – https://cdn.careeronestop.org/OccVids/OccupationVideos/19-4011.00.mp4 As one learns more about the industry, you can find a wide range of different job titles that can include the following:
-
- Food Microbiologist
- Food Chemist
- Food Safety Technician
- Product/Ingredient Development Scientist
- Sensory Scientist
- Food Process and Packaging Design Engineer
- Food Plant Production
- Regulatory Affairs Specialist
To explore more about these and other careers in Food Sciences & Technology, here are a few suggested articles to begin your exploration…
Examples of employers that have hired Tufts students for internships and jobs related to food science and technology or food systems:
-
- Applied Food Science – https://appliedfoods.com/ Applied Food Sciences (AFS) is the leader in innovation for functional, organic ingredients in the natural products industry. Quality is transparent from seed to label through organic farming, ethical sourcing, and sustainability. AFS cares about every stakeholder from rural farmers to the largest companies in the world.
- Functional Food Center (FFC) – http://www.functionalfoodscenter.net/ The Functional Food Center (FFC) is the leading organization in the world for evaluating functional food products and educating public in Functional Food Science. The primary goal of the FFC is to educate physicians, health professionals, researchers, scientists, students, and the public on the health benefits of functional foods and food bioactive compounds to increase their knowledge in this specific field of science.
- Smithfield Foods – http://www.smithfieldfoods.com Smithfield Foods is a leading consumer packaged meats company, committed to providing good food in a responsible way by maintaining robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental, and food safety and quality programs.
- Schreiber Foods https://www.schreiberfoods.com/ Schreiber Foods strives to do good through food every day. Based in North America, Schreiber Foods is customer-brand leader in cream cheese, natural cheese, process cheese, shelf-stable beverages and yogurt.
- Shiru https://www.shiru.com/ Shiru creates enhanced proteins by leveraging computational design to feed the world sustainably.
- Ponder Foods https://ponder-foods.com/ Ponder Foods partners with leading retailers, fast-growing consumer brands, and outstanding restaurants to create and commercialize the next generation of food products. They partner with brands and companies that have a shared commitment to making delicious, innovative, nourishing food available to lots and lots of people by sourcing simple, clean ingredients and focus on making nutrient-dense foods
- The Culinary Edge https://www.theculinaryedge.com/ Founded in 2002 in San Francisco, The Culinary Edge works across the food & beverage, restaurant, and hospitality industries to create the products and experiences that best showcase each of our clients’ unique values.
- Clover Food Lab – https://www.cloverfoodlab.com Our mission is to make people dream about vegetables—and to heal the planet in the process. For vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, Clover delivers food that tastes amazing, is easy to get, contributes to local economics, and helps to fight climate change.
Additional Online Resources
-
- Food Technology Magazine Food Technology is a monthly publication covering issues of food science and technology published by the Institute of Food Technologists.
- FoodScienceCentral.Com A website from the International Food Information Service, a leading scientific publisher in food science and related information.
- USDA – FSIS The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health agency in the USDA that is responsible for the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products.
- The National Center for Food Safety and Technology NCFST is a research consortium of scientists from the Illinois Institute of Technology, US Food and Drug Administration, and the food industry.
- US FDA’s Food Section. The US Food and Drug Administration is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety of the nation’s food supply.
- The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) provides research, events and education to food safety professionals.
- Partnership for Food Safety Education The PFSE is a national public-private partnership whose mission is to educate the consumers and the American public about safe food handling and preparation.
- Food Safety Summit The Food Safety Summit is an annual show for food industry professionals in Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Food Safety, Plant Management, Plant Operations, Plant Sanitation, and HACC
