What Can I Do With a Major In Food Science?
UGA Specific Information for Food Science
Food Science is the application of science, technology, and engineering to the study of food materials, ingredients, and their products. This knowledge is used by food scientists to make our foods safer, healthier, tastier, and less likely to spoil. Food scientists study biology to understand the natural processes that fresh plant and animal products undergo after harvest and that affect their quality and shelf-life. They study chemistry to make sure that nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and proteins in our foods are available to us when we eat them as well as to make sure that the ingredients in a food are safe and produce the aroma, taste, and texture we expect. Knowledge of microbiology is needed to understand the causes of food borne illness, while principles of mathematics and engineering help food scientists develop safe and sustainable ways to treat foods to prevent outbreaks and calculate expiration dates. After a rigorous background in the basic sciences, food science students apply this knowledge in a series of practical courses that prepare them for careers in the food industry or governmental agencies and prepare them well to pursue graduate studies in Food Science. Food Science is an excellent major for students who like science and want to see the immediate practical applications of their knowledge. Because of its multidisciplinary and experiential nature, food science classes tend to be smaller and instructors can interact frequently with individual students, enhancing their learning experience.
Food Science graduates enjoy challenging and well-paid positions in the world’s largest and most dynamic industry. Food scientists design and develop new foods like high-protein bars, chocolate confections, frozen pizza and sports drinks to meet the needs and desires of today’s consumers. They test foods before they leave for the supermarket to ensure safety and consistent high quality. Others evaluate existing food processes to ensure their safety and design new processes for innovative products. They also work for companies that design packages to keep food from becoming contaminated and add to the convenience of preparing our foods. Some food scientists work for government agencies to monitor the safety of our food supply.
Class of 2021 Career Outcomes for Food Science*
** Includes Self-Employed
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Food Science and Technology
Food Science is the application of science, technology, and engineering to the study of food materials, ingredients and their products. This knowledge is used by food scientists to make our foods safer, healthier, more tempting and less likely to spoil. Food Science courses include:
- Food Processing where you will learn how foods are manufactured to preserve quality and maintain safety with the lab operated as a virtual food company;
- Food Microbiology which describes the microbes that spoil foods, make us sick or preserve foods and how they can be measured and controlled;
- Food Chemistry teaches about the chemicals in foods that contribute to the quality, safety, and nutrition as they are affected by food processes;
- Food Engineering where you will learn about the principles behind operations in manufacturing plants to preserve foods;
- Nutritional Quality which describes the effects of food preservation the nutritional quality of foods;
- Instrumental Methods of Food Analysis covers the techniques used to determine the chemical components of foods;
- Food Quality Control teaches about developing systems to maintain quality of food products and prevent food hazards;
- Governmental Regulation of Food Safety and Quality where you will learn about how the government protects our food supply;
- Food Packaging which describes the types of packaging used to protect food products and involves a group project to design a new food package;
- Food Fermentations teaches how microbes preserve foods such as beer, bread, sausage and yogurt;
- Food Biotechnology teaches how food substances can be transformed by recombinant DNA;
- New Food Product Development where will you learn about the intricate process of designing a new food product and develop a new product as part of a team; and
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point which describes a system used to prevent food hazards before they occur.
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Professional Associations/Resources
- The Institute of Food Technologists
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- United States Department of Agriculture
- US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) / Food
- International Food Information Council Foundation
- FoodService Packaging Institute
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Employers/Position Title Reported by Class of 2021 Food Science majors
The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2021 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
| Employer | Position Title(s) |
|---|---|
| Astral Brands | Quality Control Analyst | Birchwood Foods | FSQA Supervisor | Darifair Foods LLC | Food Scientist | Deerland Probiotics and Enzymes | Product Development Coordinator | Ecolab | Account Manager | Heaven Hill Brands | Quality Assurance Processing Technician |
Graduate/Professional Schools attended by Class of 2021 Food Science majors
The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2020 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
| Graduate School | Program(s) |
|---|---|
| Charleston School of Law | Law, JD | North Carolina State University | Human Nutrition, MS | University of Georgia | Food Science and Technology, MS | University of Georgia | Food Science and Technology, MS | University of Georgia | Food Science, MS |