Cooking (in general) is the practice or skill of preparing food by combining, mixing, and heating ingredients, so defines Google, i.e. to make edible and delicious meals from raw ingredients! But, in Food Science, cooking is not limited to making edible and delicious meals. Food Science draws from many disciplines!
Vegan Chicken Curry Light Entree
Food Scientists apply knowledge from these disciplines:
- To understand the physical, chemical and microbiological aspects of food – For instance, Food Scientists identify the optimal temperature and time for processing different types of dairy/meat/beverage products to make it safe for consumption for consumers (patients), while retaining the quality attributes.
- To improve the quality and taste of food products for consumers (patients) by understanding the food processing aspects – Food Scientists understand the effect of different processing methods including boiling, baking, roasting, blanching, and frying on the texture, flavor, taste and overall appearance of foods and identify the cooking method that will provide the most appealing products to the consumers (patients).
- To develop safe, nutritious and wholesome foods that makes consumers’ (patients’) life easy – Food Scientists identify methods and processes not only to make foods safe, but also to make them nutritious and wholesome by putting together ingredients that would meet the nutritional requirements as well as the expectations of the consumers (patients). Cooking in Food Science is aimed at making consumers (patients) happy!
- Food Scientists strive to develop products to meet the expectations of consumers (patients) by providing – safe, healthy, high-quality, nutrient-dense, delicious, low-calorie, low-fat, high-protein and, sometimes vegan, organic, gluten-free, lactose-free and plant-based foods, depending on the demand.
- Keep themselves updated about what consumers (patients) want.
- Look out for ingredients/processes that could help meet the demands of consumers (patients).
- Identify cost-effective alternative to ingredients without compromising on the quality.
- Formulate food products for functional purposes.
- Try to meet the deadlines and adapt to seasonal demands.
- Work towards the vision and mission of their organization.
Fun Fact: In Japan, watermelons are grown in glass cubes to facilitate production of square-shaped watermelons for easy handling and storage.
A Food Science Team is tasked with not only making sure a product’s nutrition is sound with the highest quality ingredients, but that taste is unbeatable!.
Learn more about how HealthWise utilizes a Food Science Team to provide the best tasting, high quality products in the industry.
Sources: Google, HealthWise R&D Team