9781422269985

Cool Careers in Science

Scientists

3–D PRINTING SPECIALISTS ALTERNATIVE REALITY DEVELOPERS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SCIENTISTS BIG DATA SPECIALISTS COMPUTER GAME & APP DEVELOPERS DRIVERLESS VEHICLE DEVELOPERS DRONE PILOTS

ENTERTAINMENT ENGINEERS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS FOOD SCIENTISTS

FORENSIC SCIENTISTS GENETICS ENGINEERS GEOSCIENTISTS METEOROLOGISTS PROFESSIONAL HACKERS RENEWABLE ENERGY WORKERS ROBOTICS DEVELOPERS SPACE SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS VISUAL EFFECTS ARTISTS

Cool Careers in Science

Scientists

ANDREW MORKES

MASON CREST MIAMI

PO Box 221876, Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2024 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-4818-8 Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4222-4819-5 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-6998-5 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Project Manager: Andrew Morkes Cover and Interior Design: Tara Raymo • CreativelyTara Layout: Priceless Digital Media, LLC Publisher’s Note: Websites listed in this book were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for websites that have changed their address or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher reviews and updates the websites each time the book is reprinted.

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Table of Contents

CHAPTER 5: The Future of Food Science and Careers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Photo Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Further Reading & Internet Resources . . 93 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Educational Video Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Author Biography 96

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 CHAPTER 1: What Do Food Scientists Do? . 11 CHAPTER 2: Terms of the Trade . . . . . . . 26 CHAPTER 3: Preparing for the Field and Making a Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 CHAPTER 4: Key Skills and Methods of Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

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Introduction

CAREERS IN SCIENCE OFFER GOOD PAY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE, AND OTHER REWARDS

Where would we be without science? Well, we’d be without computers, smartphones, robots, spacecraft, and other cutting-edge technologies. Crimes would take longer to solve without modern forensic analysis techniques. More people would continue to have to rely on environmentally unfriendly fossil fuels instead of using clean energy. It would be harder to detect dangerous weather events such as tornadoes and hurricanes. And life would be less fun, because we wouldn’t have drones, awe-inspiring and physics-defying roller coasters, and the computer and video games that we play for hours. Job markets are sometimes strong and sometimes weak, but a career in science (which, for the purposes of this series, includes the related fields of technology and engineering) is almost a sure path to a comfortable standard of living. The following paragraphs provide more information on why a career in science is a great choice. Good pay. People in science careers earn some of the highest salaries in the work world. The median annual salary for those in engineering careers in the United States is $79,840, according to the US Department of Labor (DOL). This is much higher than the median earnings ($45,760) for all careers. Additionally, those in life, physical, and social science occupations earn

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$72,740. Science professionals who become managers or who launch their own businesses can earn anywhere from $150,000 to $300,000 or more. Strong employment prospects. The DOL predicts that employment of computer and information technology professionals in the United States will grow by 15 percent during the next decade. This is much faster than the average for all careers. Career opportunities for those in life, physical, and social science occupations will grow by 7 percent, and employment for engineering professionals will grow by 4 percent. By 2031, the DOL predicts that there will be nearly 873,000 new science, technology, engineering, and mathematics jobs. Rewarding work environment and many career options. A career in science is fulfilling because you get to use both your creative and practical sides to develop new technologies (or improve existing ones), solve problems, and make the world a better place. While some scientists spend lots of time in laboratories and other research facilities, they also spend time in the field conducting research; collecting samples and observing geological and atmospheric conditions and phenomena; and testing, troubleshooting, and trying out their inventions or discoveries. Entrepreneurism is another option for scientists and engineers. Some science professionals launch their own businesses, which can be both fun and very rewarding. Job opportunities are available throughout the United States and the world. Science professionals play such important roles in our modern world that there are job openings almost anywhere, although many positions are found in big cities.

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COOL CAREERS IN SCIENCE: FOOD SCIENTISTS

IS A CAREER IN SCIENCE RIGHT FOR ME?

Test your interest. How many of these statements do you agree with? • My favorite class in school is science. • I also enjoy computer science classes. • I like to learn about scientific breakthroughs. • I like to design and build things. • I like to solve puzzles. • I enjoy doing science experiments. • I am curious about how things work. • I am creative and have a good imagination. • I like to build electronics and other things that require electricity. • I like to take things apart and see how they work. • I am good at math and physics. If many of the statements above describe you, then you should consider a career in the sciences. But you don’t need to select a career right now. Check out this book on a career as a food scientist, and other books in the series, to learn more about occupational paths in the sciences and related fields. Good luck with your career exploration!

INTRODUCTION

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WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

biofuels: plant materials that are converted into liquid fuels for use in powering cars and other vehicles interdisciplinary: drawing from two or more different fields of knowledge nonprofit organization: a group that uses any revenue it generates to advance its stated goals (eg, protecting the environment, helping the homeless); it is not a for-profit business; also known as a nonprofit pollution: the contamination of the air, water, or soil with chemicals or other foreign substances that are detrimental (harmful) to human, animal, or plant health, or to entire ecosystems remediation: the process of cleaning up or using other strategies to remove or contain a toxic spill or hazardous materials soil erosion: a naturally occurring process in which topsoil is worn a way by the natural physical forces of wind and water

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Chapter 1

WHAT DO FOOD SCIENTISTS DO? WHAT IS FOOD SCIENCE?

Food science is an interdisciplinary field in which scientists, engineers, technicians, and other science professionals study the physical, biological, and chemical makeup of foods and beverages, and then develop new or better ways of selecting, preserving, processing, manufacturing, packaging, and distributing food products. People who work in food science have educational backgrounds and training in agriculture, animal science, agronomy, biochemistry, biology, biotechnology, chemistry, engineering, food science, microbiology, nutrition, physics, soil science, and other sciences. Work environments include farms and other outdoor settings, laboratories, research facilities, manufacturing plants, research kitchens, and colleges and universities. A career in food science is intellectually stimulating, rewarding, and even fun if you’re the kind of person who likes to conduct experiments, enjoys crunching numbers and studying data, and making the world a better place. In fact, nearly 70 percent of food scientists who were surveyed by PayScale.com reported being highly satisfied with their careers. The employment outlook remains strong for food scientists. “The demand for food scientists is increasing as our world becomes more focused on the vital role that food plays in the well-being of individuals,

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Many food scientists work in laboratories.

communities, and nations,” according to the Department of Food Science at Cornell University. THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF FOOD SCIENTISTS The work of food scientists is important, because we need food to survive, but they perform many other important tasks in our society. Here are just a few ways in which their work benefits the world. Food scientists: • work with other scientists and engineers to help solve environmental challenges related to climate change, including water and soil pollution and water shortages

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COOL CAREERS IN SCIENCE: FOOD SCIENTISTS

• increase the nutrition levels of foods to fight poverty and fight world hunger; as many as 828 million people were affected by hunger in 2021, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations • help developing nations improve crop and animal production and handling and storage procedures • improve existing farming and production techniques to reduce food waste, increase efficiency, and increase crop yield and animal production • help keep our foods and beverages safe from contamination and spoilage and protect against bioterrorism, as well as identify and limit outbreaks of foodborne illnesses • improve the quality and consumer appeal of food products, and help to improve processing and distribution methods • develop nutritious foods that will sustain astronauts during future missions to the moon and Mars

Learn how food science makes the world a better place.

What Do Food Scientists Do?

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An FDA research scientist collects DNA from a paddlefish as part of a new testing program to ensure that US seafood is both safe and accurately labeled.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN FOOD SCIENCE Food science is a small, but important, field. Only about 30,000 food scientists and technicians are employed in the United States, according to the US Department of Labor (DOL). But there are tens of thousands of workers in related careers such as soil scientists, agricultural technicians, and agricultural engineers. Food scientists may specialize in a phase of food science (e.g., product research and development, packaging, manufacturing, food safety), or they may focus on a particular food or beverage group (e.g., seafood, fruits, vegetables, fermented beverages), or a particular ingredient or component (e.g., nutritional additives, preservatives, fats and oils). Others are generalists and perform the following duties (according to the DOL): • develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods

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COOL CAREERS IN SCIENCE: FOOD SCIENTISTS

• develop new food items for production, based on consumer feedback, and source ingredients for these new products • test new or improved products in test kitchens for flavor, texture, nutritional content, color, and adherence to government and industry standards • identify harmful or undesirable additives, such as nitrites, and conduct research to find safe additives • study the structure and composition of foods or the changes they undergo during processing, packaging, and shipment • develop packaging that more effectively protects foods and beverages and helps them to last longer before spoilage • inspect food processing areas to ensure that they are in compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management

Observe a day in the life of a food scientist.

What Do Food Scientists Do?

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MAJOR EMPLOYERS OF FOOD SCIENTISTS • food companies • independent research laboratories • test kitchens • food product development companies • food manufacturing plants • consulting firms • local, state, and federal agencies, such as the US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, and the Food and Drug Administration • secondary schools • colleges and universities • nonprofit organizations • international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization

The following paragraphs discuss some of the most popular specialties in food science. Animal scientists conduct research on domestic farm animals—those that have been raised to provide milk, wool, or other products, or raised to eventually be slaughtered for their meat or other products. They focus on study areas such as animal genetics, reproduction, diseases, nutrition, growth, and development.

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COOL CAREERS IN SCIENCE: FOOD SCIENTISTS