How to become A Food Chemist

Food is an experience replete with diverse nuances, from its flavours, textures, and appearances, to each nutrient and molecule. As a Food Chemist, it is your job to understand and experiment with the chemical components of food to create safe, healthy, and appealing products suitable for target consumers.

• Food Scientist
• Food Technologist

What do Food Chemists do?

A Food Chemist would typically need to:

• Analyse and improve food processing methods and reduce the effects of food deterioration, using chemistry, microbiology and engineering principles; construct quality assurance programs to ensure that processed foods remain nutritional, safe, and flavourful
• Study the structure, composition, and reactions of food; break down food content to determine nutrient levels and their chemical composition
• Research and develop methods of preserving natural foods; seek out and investigate new nutritional food sources
• Employ chemicals and chemistry techniques to create flavour combinations that enhance the natural flavours of food and beverages or mimic the effects of cooking processes
• Conduct experiments to develop food additives, preservatives, and similar products, using natural and synthetic materials
• Analyse changes in the composition and properties of food before and after processing, preservation and packaging; find and develop more efficient and appropriate methods of food processing, selection, preservation, packaging, and distribution based on past research in food science
• Confirm that raw ingredients meet the necessary standards, quality, and nutrient levels by measuring their stability and maturity; develop quality control tests for improvements in various aspects of food, such as texture, colour, flavour and convenience
• Test the quality and purity of food and beverage samples to ensure they are in tandem with industry regulations and legislations 
• Ensure that food production facilities meet sanitary and waste management protocols at correct standards to meet government regulations
• Monitor and guide workers performing quality control tests in areas such as food processing, canning, freezing, brewing or distilling

As a Food Chemist, you will work primarily in laboratories, carrying out experiments or documenting and analysing research. However, according to your specific responsibilities, you may occasionally work in offices or classrooms.

You may also undertake fieldwork on farms and processing plants, which includes taking samples or evaluating the general situation. Working in a food processing plant, you would work amidst large machinery and tolerate low temperatures for food storage.

Certain positions also mandate varying amounts of domestic or international travel.

Food Chemists typically work full-time. Until reaching the management level, those working in food processing plants may follow shift schedules to perform production trials and audits, accommodating site production times. Shifts could take place during evenings, weekends, or holidays. 

When part of the retail or public industry, you would work six to seven hours a day.

Food Chemists employed in higher education institutions work standard weekday hours. However, specific timings may fluctuate. Extra hours may be required to prepare for lessons, grade student work, and carry out other duties throughout evenings and weekends. 

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Food Chemists can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting companies directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies.

Food Chemists are generally employed by:

• Farms
• Food Processing Plants
• Food Production Companies 
• Retail Food Chains
• International Food Agencies
• Private Research Firms
• Research Universities
• Educational Services
• Professional Scientific & Technical Services
• Government Agencies

Professional associations and organisations, such as the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), are crucial for Food Chemists interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Exposure to hazardous materials and chemicals when working in a laboratory
• Working efficiently in cold temperatures and amidst loud, consistent noise from machinery
• Allergies or dietary preferences may limit the ingredients with which you can work, such as nuts or animal byproducts
• Taking into account the varying health requirements of different demographics when analysing, researching, and creating new food products or systems
• Extensive travel and time spent away from home to visit local, national or international suppliers, warehouses and distributions

Work experience, particularly in a science laboratory, is essential for aspiring Food Chemists to demonstrate skills and knowledge in relevant areas to employers.

Although some employers may provide on-the-job training, the competitive nature of the industry makes it beneficial to seek hands-on experience while studying for your degree. You may search for summer job opportunities as a research assistant in relevant university departments, government agencies, or private industries. Seek advice and information from the careers office or counsellor at your institution.

Internships give you a competitive edge when applying for a master’s degree program or jobs as a Food Chemist. While providing practical laboratory experience, they allow you to develop strong teamwork skills and build your network of prospective employers. You may also receive a job offer to join the company upon graduation.

As in any career, reading as much as possible about the profession and interviewing those working in food chemistry are other important ways to explore your interest. 

Food Chemists typically require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in food science, food chemistry, chemistry or related fields such as microbiology, pharmaceutical chemistry, and organic chemistry to land entry-level jobs. Coursework should address food analysis, food microbiology, food engineering, and food-processing operations. These topics enable aspiring Food Chemists to understand and analyse aspects such as food deterioration and nutrients.

In most cases, a master’s degree in food chemistry or related fields, including medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry or food science, is required to carry out independent research projects or guide others in research or take up management and administrative roles.

A PhD or doctorate is often necessary to teach food chemistry at the university level. With a doctorate, you may also take up roles as a Project Leader, Research Project Coordinator, or Research Director.

Certification demonstrates a Food Chemist’s competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training, and passing an examination. Certification from an objective and reputed organisation can help you stand out in a competitive job market, carry a significant salary premium, increase your chances of advancement, and allow you to become an independent consultant.

You may take up the global certification program offered by the Institute of Food Technologists to become a Certified Food Scientist (CFS). Eligibility comes from having a degree in food science or a related field and carrying out the requisite length of work experience in specific areas based on your academic qualifications.

The CFS exam tests knowledge and skills applicable to the daily tasks of food scientists. Therefore, topics included are product development, quality assurance & control, food chemistry & food analysis, regulatory, food microbiology, food safety, food engineering, and sensory evaluation & consumer testing.

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive career progression. Employees with consistently high levels of performance may be eligible for promotion every two to three years.

Most Food Chemists begin work in junior positions such as lab technicians or research assistants. With the relevant qualifications, they may take on the roles of Scientist or Supervisor. 

As Food Chemists acquire more experience, knowledge, and skills, they may be tasked with increasingly complex research projects to develop new products or processes or assigned to lead other teams of scientists.

With relevant specialisation in their master’s degree, Food Chemists may take on the roles of Organic Chemist and Analytical Chemist. 

You may also work in administrative roles in quality assurance or regulatory roles in government agencies. With a relevant doctoral degree, you may enter academia as a Lecturer or Professor at higher education institutions.

Candidates with education, skills and experience have the best job prospects. A bachelor’s degree or higher in chemistry, food science, or a related field accompanied by laboratory skills and relevant certification will give you a competitive advantage in the job market.

Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active Food Chemist build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. It allows you to upskill continually, regardless of your age, job, or level of knowledge.

Depending on the career progression you plan, you may specialise in nutrition, food safety, hygiene & quality management, food processing & nanotechnology, food production management, or food bioscience. Acquiring higher educational qualifications, such as a master’s or doctoral degree, would allow you to conduct research projects or take on teaching positions at a college or university.

Obtaining certification from global forums such as the Institution of Food Technologists would help you advance your skills and qualifications. 

The Potential of Polyphenols

Polyphenols are chemical compounds naturally found in plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables. They have merited an increasing amount of attention and investigation, especially in the field of food chemistry. They can help manage blood pressure and sugar, promote good circulation, and reduce chronic inflammation. Consuming polyphenols has also been shown to aid in preventing lifestyle or non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, obesity, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and more. Simultaneously, the compounds can be used in the preservation of foods and as natural dyes. They contribute to diverse fields, ranging from food chemistry to pharmaceuticals. 

Food Chemists & Technologists

While there are similarities between the two careers, Food Chemists are responsible for studying in detail and testing the science behind food processes such as preservation or shelf-life stability, additives, quality inspection, storage, safety, and more. Food Technologists, on the other hand, focus on the creation of products, factory trials, liaisons with marketing, and technologies used to carry out chemical processes. These could include sterilisation, pasteurisation, packaging, chilling, dehydration, and others.

Chocolate centres in candies are often coated with multiple layers of a hardened sugar solution. The result is a candy that does not melt in your hand but in your mouth with moisture from saliva.

As a Food Chemist, you work behind the scenes to ensure that consumers worldwide buy and eat a vast variety of food with the confidence that it is safe and healthy for them. With your scientific expertise and experience, you may also research and develop new products or ingredients to increase lengths of food preservation or even decrease the risks of certain diseases.

Keep an open mind when deciding which path you want to pursue with your knowledge of food chemistry. Culinary and product development roles are one possibility if you are inclined to experimentation and laboratory work. However, your qualifications may also lead you to roles in logistics, marketing, packaging, or health & safety, where you can expand your outlook as a Food Chemist.