Food Scientist
Job Summary
Responsible for conducting research and developing ways to improve the quality of food and beverages. Takes samples of food to determine nutritional and caloric content. Communicates findings to public.
Primary Responsibilities
- Use chemistry and other sciences to study the underlying principles of food.
- Analyze nutritional content and discover the caloric, fat content, and nutritional values of certain food.
- Discover new food sources.
- Examine how certain food is turned into fuel.
- Identify how the body reacts to certain types of food.
- Research ways to make processed foods safe and healthy.
- Work alongside product developers to find better ways of selecting, preserving, processing, packaging, and distributing food.
- Use nanotechnology to develop sensors that can detect contaminants in food.
- Enforce government regulations.
- Inspect food processing areas to ensure they are sanitary and meet waste management standards.
- Green-light food for production and distribution.
- Use knowledge of chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, and engineering to convert grain, livestock, fruit, and vegetables into new food products.
- Preserve food supply by assuring its flavor, color, texture, nutritional quality, and safety.
- Act as a troubleshooter in solving food-related problems.
- Study the chemical changes that take place in stored or processed foods.
- Discover new sources of protein.
- Research the effects of food additives.
- Discover ways to process food so fewer nutrients are lost.
- Brainstorm and create ways to feed growing world population.
- Develop meat substitutes from soybeans and vegetation.
