A Bachelor of Science degree is typically the minimum requirement for a career as a food technologist. Students can major in biology, chemistry or physics, or they can study agricultural science. A few schools have departments of food science or offer degree programs specifically in food science.
Programs emphasize branches of science such as biology, chemistry, physics and engineering. Students interested in food technologist careers should select courses in food chemistry, nutrition, statistics, food engineering, food safety and microbiology, food analysis and food processing operations. Some programs incorporate business courses and consumer science.
A graduate degree, such as a Master of Science in Food Science or Ph.D in Agricultural Science, is necessary for many jobs in research. It is also required for teaching at the college level. Graduate programs heavily emphasize biology, chemistry and engineering as applied to food systems.
Licensing is not a requirement for this field and there is no standard industry certification. Professional organizations, such as the Institute of Food Technologists, provide opportunities for further professional growth and continued education.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, food scientists and technologists should see faster than average job growth between the period from 2008 to 2018. Employment is expected to grow by 16 percent. This growth is fueled by the increasing demand for new food products as well as a heightened awareness of nutritional and food safety issues.