You are what you eat, and it’s a nutritionist’s job to ensure that the food consumed by people has a positive impact on health, growth and wellbeing. Working in the agbioscience sector, they may evaluate the nutritional value of feed, make observations to better understand eating habits, or adjust nutrients in products.
The average grocery store carries over 47,000 products – that’s a lot of food and a lot of choices for shoppers. Production Food Development Specialists are responsible for creating new food strategies and products that will appeal to consumers. They oversee the entire product development process, from conducting market research and trends, to product testing, packaging and marketing. They are innovators and team players, collaborating across many cross-functional teams and groups.
If you’re a stickler for detail and have a knack for data analysis, then you might consider a career as a quality control analyst. Responsible for ensuring that the products and food that we buy meet established quality standards, quality control analysts conduct tests, interpret results and conduct visual inspections. They may identify products that don’t meet established standards and advise on solutions.
How do microorganisms in the fermentation process relate to food and medicine? Fermentation scientists have the answers for us. Always on the lookout for new uses for fermentation, they’re leaders in helping us connect the microscopic to the big picture.
The human tongue has over 10,000 taste buds and flavor technologists want to appeal to them all! They’re responsible for formulating the flavorings that go into food, drinks and even pet products. Combining scientific and analytical tools with creativity, flavor technologists blend flavor chemicals and extracts to create flavorings and flavor profiles. They may enhance natural flavors, create new flavors, replicate existing flavors or mask unpleasant flavors.
We often don’t think about where the food we eat was grown or how it was processed and packaged – because food safety inspectors are our food security guards! They ensure that local, state, federal and global health safety standards are strictly adhered. They may travel to various locations – farms, food labs, manufacturing facilities and restaurants – confirming that proper procedures for food storage, handling, processing and packing are taking place.
Ever wonder who makes the nutrition labels and ingredient lists on our food packaging? It was likely the work of a food science technician. As the righthand men and women of food scientists, they assist and support in the lab and in the field – collecting and logging samples and data, keeping detailed records and conducting quality control tests of food products. Thanks to these experts, we can enjoy food without the risk of consuming low-quality or unsafe ingredients.
What’s in our food, and how do we safely process, package, preserve, store and distribute it? Food scientists find the answers for us, helping our food taste good, and making sure it’s good for you. By understanding foods’ composition, food scientists lead the effort in securing our health alongside our food supply.
If you have a passion for animals and a love for science, then an animal nutritionist may be the perfect career for you. Animal nutritionists spend their time analyzing behavior and growth of all species of animals to make decisions about their health and wellbeing. They provide producers and/or animal caretakers with feeding recommendations that will increase the quality of life for all animals.
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