Student Aid on the Web Skip Navigation

Career Details : Food Scientists and Technologists

   << Back    Add Career to MyFSA

Description

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.

Experience

A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Tasks

  • Conducts research on new products and development of foods, applying scientific and engineering principles.
  • Studies methods to improve physical, chemical, and microbiological composition of foods.
  • Develops food standards, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste-management and water-supply specifications.
  • Confers with process engineers, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
  • Tests new products in test kitchen.
  • Studies methods to improve quality of foods, such as flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.
  • Develops new and improved methods and systems for food processing, production, quality control, packaging, and distribution.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Indoors
    • Consequence of Error
    • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
    • Job-Required Social Interaction
    • Sitting

    Related Majors

    Major Add to MyFSA
    Agricultural Biologyadd Agricultural Biology to MyFSA
    Agricultural Engineering Technologyadd Agricultural Engineering Technology to MyFSA
    Agricultural Scienceadd Agricultural Science to MyFSA
    Agricultural Sciencesadd Agricultural Sciences to MyFSA
    Agricultureadd Agriculture to MyFSA
    Agriculture General Sciencesadd Agriculture General Sciences to MyFSA
    Agriculture/Environmentadd Agriculture/Environment to MyFSA
    Agriculture/Natural Resourcesadd Agriculture/Natural Resources to MyFSA
    Applied Nutritionadd Applied Nutrition to MyFSA
    Cooperative Agricultureadd Cooperative Agriculture to MyFSA
    Food Scienceadd Food Science to MyFSA
    Food Science/Managementadd Food Science/Management to MyFSA
    Food Science/Nutritionadd Food Science/Nutrition to MyFSA
    Food Science/Technologyadd Food Science/Technology to MyFSA
    Food Studiesadd Food Studies to MyFSA
    Food/Nutritionadd Food/Nutrition to MyFSA
    Food/Nutrition Scienceadd Food/Nutrition Science to MyFSA
    Food/Nutritional Sciencesadd Food/Nutritional Sciences to MyFSA
    Foods/Nutritionadd Foods/Nutrition to MyFSA
    Foods/Nutrition Scienceadd Foods/Nutrition Science to MyFSA
    Foods/Nutrition/Dieteticsadd Foods/Nutrition/Dietetics to MyFSA
    General Agricultureadd General Agriculture to MyFSA
    Health/Nutrition Sciencesadd Health/Nutrition Sciences to MyFSA
    Nutritionadd Nutrition to MyFSA
    Nutrition Scienceadd Nutrition Science to MyFSA
    Nutrition/Dieteticsadd Nutrition/Dietetics to MyFSA
    Nutrition/Exercise Scienceadd Nutrition/Exercise Science to MyFSA
    Nutrition/Food Scienceadd Nutrition/Food Science to MyFSA
    Nutrition/Food Studiesadd Nutrition/Food Studies to MyFSA
    Nutrition/Food/Agricultureadd Nutrition/Food/Agriculture to MyFSA
    Nutritional Scienceadd Nutritional Science to MyFSA
    Nutritional Sciencesadd Nutritional Sciences to MyFSA
    Public Health/Nutritionadd Public Health/Nutrition to MyFSA
       TOP    

    • End of Page