Educating The Next Generation of Food Scientists

WHITE MARSH, Md.The food science sector is predicted to grow by 16% through 2018, and ensuring there are enough qualified food scientists is important for the health and well-being of the population. And it all begins with providing high-school science teachers more tools and know-how for teaching the often misunderstood career of food science."

To help accomplish this, members of Cornell Universitys Food Science department held a one-day workshop for Harford County area middle- and high-school teachers at TIC Gums Texture Innovation Center. Attendees learned about teaching food chemistry, food processing, food safety, nutrition and sensory evaluation.

So many times people here food science and think about foodservice," said Steve Andon, board member and director of TIC Gums. The types of occupations we are trying to encourage are real science roles in the food manufacturing industry, which is far different. We want to do what we can to support the students and schools here in Maryland and introduce them to experts like those from Cornell. Companies like ours need experts in this field to work at our company as do others like ours. Encouraging and educating their high school science teachers is a logical first step."