Occupational Employment Statistics
19-1012 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.
Southeast Minnesota
| 50 | 14 | $28.35/hr | $19.15/hr | $21.70/hr | $26.02/hr | $32.72/hr | $37.95/hr |
Natural Resources and Mining | N/A | N/A |
Manufacturing | 320 | $31.41/hr |
Trade, Transportation and Utilities | 20 | $31.09/hr |
Professional and Business Services | N/A | $46.54/hr |
Education and Health Services | N/A | N/A |
- Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
- Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
- Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
- Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
- Study the structure and composition of food or the changes foods undergo in storage and processing.
- Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
- Demonstrate products to clients.
- Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications.
- Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
- Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.