9781422269985

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