Feeding the World Through Science

I grew up just outside of Hershey, Pa., the town that, since 1894, has also been home to the Hershey Company. From a young age, I visited the Hershey chocolate factory and park and watched food technologists transform commodities, including cocoa, raw milk, and sugar, into many of the chocolate products that would eventually stock grocery store shelves.

I saw firsthand how the Hershey Company and other food processors, like Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats, served local communities throughout South Central Pennsylvania. The economic impact from the food manufacturing sector put jerseys on the backs of Little League teams and built stadiums. Most importantly, the food industry provided jobs for people in the local community and internships for college students, all while building an economy in small towns.

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How can we get more students interested in careers in the science of food? IFT members can share their ideas and strategies by visiting iftconnect.org/food-science-career.

This was my first look at the meaningful employment, infrastructure, and support the food industry could foster for rural communities. Years later, I would work as a food process engineer in that very same Hershey factory.

Now, as incoming president of IFT, I recognize more than ever the important role of food science and engineering experts in connecting agriculture, food, and the economy—a role that is central in supporting the production of safe and nutritious food to feed a growing global population. Without the expertise of food scientists in delivering nutritious, safe foods, people are at increased risk of sickness and malnourishment.

It is vital that we have an adequate pool of talented, well-educated food science professionals to fill these roles. We have likely all seen forecasts about shortfalls in scientific skills and workforce shortages. The youngest baby boomers will reach traditional retirement age by 2030, which is among the factors contributing to a decline in the workforce participation rate, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

The Brookings Institution reports that the United States is not producing enough STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) employees. There are currently fewer students enrolled in food science programs than there were in 2018, according to IFT Academic Knowledge Base research. Meanwhile, the majority of high school educators in a recent small survey  conducted by a Chapman University team reported that students had  little awareness of food science as an academic discipline.

With the planet growing to a population of 10 billion people in the next several decades, it is critical that we prepare and inspire students to pursue careers in food science. Practically, this means raising awareness about food science in K-12 schools and getting young people involved. It also requires the industry to take a bigger role in hiring college graduates with food science credentials.

Food science coursework spans many STEM fields, including fundamentals from chemistry, bioscience, microbiology, engineering, and nutrition, giving students the broad transdisciplinary knowledge needed for a successful career in the food industry. As the Vice Chancellor & Dean of the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), I see this reality come to fruition often. With the support of the Missouri method—the university’s philosophy of learning by doing—students at Mizzou get exposure to the practical skills they need to fill vital food science positions that are increasingly in demand across the industry.

For example, students work in CAFNR’s very own ice cream shop, Buck’s Ice Cream Place, where they learn and contribute to refining the science of frozen dairy desserts. At the Mizzou Meat Market, students learn butchering techniques as well as the entrepreneurial side of the meat processing business. Through the Missouri Agriculture, Food and Forestry Innovation Center (MAFFIC), students are encouraged to work with value-added processors, where they learn alongside professional agribusiness, food science, and safety experts.

I am a firm believer in the value of food science as not only a meaningful route for a career with extensive global opportunities, but also as a way to give back to the community and safeguard the world against disease and hunger. As the incoming IFT president, I challenge every food scientist, technologist, and engineer to promote food science programs and encourage students to consider careers in this great industry.ft

The opinions expressed in Dialogue are those of the author.