Food Science Research Paper

Food Science & Technology: Overview, Top Institutes, Career Prospects & Demand in India

There has been a significant buzz around the Applied Biological Sciences field because of their exciting and dynamic nature, and direct implications on the human life. Biomedical Science might seem to be the most popular branch within the Applied Biology domain. But, the field of Food Science and Agriculture is also gaining huge popularity of late. The field is very broad and interdisciplinary. In this post I am going to give you an overview on the Food Science and Technology – Science meets Food. What is Food Science?

Food science is the branch of applied sciences that combines the fundamentals of biochemistry, physical sciences and chemical engineering

Food is essential for all forms of life; and humans need food for survival. Like shelter, clothes, education and healthcare, food is also a basic necessity for mankind.

Majority of the food items are biological in origin. The process of harvesting, processing, distribution, storage and preparation is quite complex. Understanding the process, and solving various problems during the whole process, requires broad-based knowledge and training. Food scientists are responsible for making safe and nutritious food along with innovative packaging, and that also in abundance. Thus, Food Scientists allow us to make the best use of our food resources and minimize waste of resources.

There has been a tremendous evolution of food system worldwide, thanks to food science and technology. Processed food items are more convenient to consume, and more importantly can be more tasty and healthy as well. For example, raw milk could be very harmful if you consume as it is. You need to boil it (to remove pathogens) and then consume. Besides, the shelf-life is also short. In contrast, the pasteurized milk (e.g. Mother Dairy) is safe and has got longer shelf-life. Besides, milk can be processed to produce cheese, yogurt, butter, cream etc. For curious folks here is an article on pasteurized milk vs. raw

Being a branch of applied sciences, Food Science is very multi-disciplinary in nature, just like Biomedical Science, Pharmacy or Translational Science. Food Science involves chemistry (organic, inorganic and physical), biochemistry, microbiology, nutrition, chemical and process engineering. The holy grail of food science lies within the understanding of the chemistry and biochemistry of food components like proteins, carbohydrate, fats, minerals, vitamins and water. So, the field needs highly qualified and trained Food Scientists. Due to advancements in technology and our hectic daily life, there is an increasing demand for easy to prepare (e.g. Maggi, frozen pizza) and easy to consume food items (e.g. ready-to-eat meals). Apart from quality, factors like safety and nutrition value also need to be kept in mind. Therefore, there is a growing market demand for more advancements and sophistication in the field of food science and technology