Use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein; discover new food sources; research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful; and apply food science knowledge to determine best ways to process, package, preserve, store, and distribute food.
Work Activities
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Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
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Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
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Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
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Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
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Evaluate food processing and storage operations and assist in the development of quality assurance programs for such operations.
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Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
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Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
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Study the structure and composition of food or the changes foods undergo in storage and processing.
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Seek substitutes for harmful or undesirable additives, such as nitrites.
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Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.
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Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications.
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Develop new food items for production, based on consumer feedback.
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Demonstrate products to clients.
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Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
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Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
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Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
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Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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Food Production
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
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Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
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Chemistry
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
- Education Bachelor's degree
- Work Experience No work experience
- Training No on-the-job training
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Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.They do well at jobs that need:
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Analytical Thinking
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Integrity
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Attention to Detail
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Cooperation
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Achievement/Effort
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Dependability
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Cooking machinery
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Electronic mail software
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Data base user interface and query software
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Analytical or scientific software
