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In this part of the world, being a Food Scientist comes with the responsibility of answering questions like "do you know how to cook" which is more than annoying considering the fact that heating - term used to describe cooking is only a tiny aspect of food science. As a student, I had to explain to countless number of people why we had to offer courses from other departments like: Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, and Business. Yep, You read that right. So I have taken time to note some connections of Food Science and Technology.
Food Science and Other Courses.
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- Relationship with Biology
Biology is the study of living things and life sustaining system. Now we all know foods are derived from living origins right? Its either from animals or plants; aside for those suffering from pica. A food scientist has to be aware of the way the edible tissues of these food sources is organized on the cellular level as well as change that occurs during processing, storage and so forth. Also, microbiological actions of bacteria, mould and yeast can be harmful (causing food borne illness through infection and intoxication) and detrimental to food - microbial enzymatic reactions causing it to rot or smell or useful - as in fermentation processes: baking, yoghurt production and others.
Genetics; which is a major branch of biology, is the scientific foundation of Food Science and Technology.
- Relationship with Chemistry
Where else can we study atoms and molecules that make up substances present in the universe aside in chemistry? The arrangement o due to their structure and the reaction they participate in are listed in the periodic table and these elements exist in food as combined structures forming the characteristics of nutrients like protein, carbohydrate, fat and oil, vitamins, mineral we find in every food. Food Scientists have to learn the molecular structures of these food components to ascertain their changes and its effects to the quality of food.
- Relationship with Physics
Physics is the study of matter and energy and is concerned with physical changes that matter experiences under certain conditions. Food scientists use the physics of electromagnetic energy spectrum as the bases for understanding how food colour to detect how microwave oven works, how the application of radiation makes food set.
- Relationship with Engineering
Engineering is traditionally devoted to the study of momentum, heat and mass transfer. Food science apply the science of engineering to understand the interaction of physical and energy transfer operations with food materials. The unit operations of the food industry invokes engineering principles that are applied to food processing (e.g Heat transfer during thermal processing, packaging, drying, refrigeration, freeze evaporation and the rest).
- Relationship with Business - Marketing
There's a branch of food science that involves food distribution and marketing. It is not enough to make quality products but to get them to the proposed consumers. Food production and processing are forms of investment as the end product is distributed to consumers to recover the cost of investment and make profit.
Food scientists have to be equipped with the knowledge of marketing to excel in the food market as it is important for the food products to get to the desired consumers.
These are just some of the relationship food science shares with the listed courses.
