Occupation: Food Scientists and Technologists

Food Scientists and Technologists

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.

19-1012.00 | 13 tasks | 10 job titles
Reported Job Titles (10)
  • Food and Drug Research Scientist
  • Food Chemist
  • Food Engineer
  • Food Scientist
  • Food Technologist
  • Formulator
  • Product Development Scientist
  • Research Chef
  • Research Food Technologist
  • Research Scientist
Core Tasks (13)
  • Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
  • Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
  • Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
  • Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
  • Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
  • Evaluate food processing and storage operations and assist in the development of quality assurance programs for such operations.
  • Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
  • Study the structure and composition of food or the changes foods undergo in storage and processing.
  • Seek substitutes for harmful or undesirable additives, such as nitrites.
  • Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.
  • Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications.
  • Develop new food items for production, based on consumer feedback.
  • Demonstrate products to clients.