
Empowering Minds, Nourishing Communities
Food is one of the few things in life we can’t live without. That’s why the industry is thriving. However, dynamic changes are happening around the world in response to food shortages, soil depletion, lack of rainfall, competition for land and global warming. As humans, we take our food for granted. Almost all the groceries we buy have undergone rigorous development processes to ensure that consumers get the best product possible.
Food science involves the understanding of fundamental sciences and the application of this knowledge from paddock to plate. It involves the study of production, handling, processing, preservation, distribution and marketing, through to consumption and utilisation by consumers. Food science is about understanding the composition of food and, in a way, ‘reinventing’ it. It could involve enhancing the taste, making it last longer, making sure it’s safe to eat or even boosting its nutritional content.
When you're studying food science, you’ll learn about food from all different aspects of the industry including:
You could pursue a career as a food scientist, quality assurance officer or research & development manager. Food scientists work in any industry related to food – from major food and beverage brands to research organisations, flavour producers and regulatory authorities.
Food scientists understand the nature of foods using their skills and knowledge in a combination of chemical, biological and physical sciences. They need to consider many aspects of food including flavour and nutritional content, quality, handling, storage and safety, processing, preservation, packaging and distribution. Food scientists can be involved in:
You can study food science as a major in the following undergraduate science degrees:
You can also study a Bachelor of Food Science (Honours) degree in the Faculty of Engineering.
Gain research experience and enhance your career prospects with an honours degree. These programs are designed to connect your undergraduate study with supervised independent research. An honours degree also provides a pathway into further study, such as a Masters by Research or PhD. The Faculty of Engineering offer a food science degree with embedded honours:
You can study food science in the following postgraduate research degrees: