Postgraduate courses in Food Science

There are many postgraduate courses on offer across the UK. If you think this is the area you would like to study then keep reading!

We have all the basic information for you below to begin your research.

What is food science?

Food science is the physical, biological and chemical makeup of food. It looks at the causes of food deterioration and the concepts underlying food processing. Food science is broken up into five fields. They are food microbiology, food engineering and processing, food chemistry and biochemistry, nutrition and sensory analysis. 

What does a food scientist do?

Food scientists use science to study the basic elements of food. They analyze the nutritional content of food, discover new food sources and research ways to make processed foods safe and healthy. 

Courses

There are many courses in food science to choose from across the UK. Examples of courses you can avail of are:

Food Science

Food science postgraduate courses will allow students to build on their undergraduate degree and gain a more in depth knowledge of the science of food. Some areas that are covered are food chemistry, food quality and safety and manufacturing and process.

Nutrition and Food Science

Courses like this combine human nutrition with food science. Students will look at human nutrition, the development of healthy eating trends and key aspects of food and health. Food composition, food safety, storage and manufacturing are also key focuses. 

Food Safety and Biotechnology

Courses in food safety and biotechnology addresses current issues in food safety, nutrition and food supply. Students will look at the entire food chain with a strong emphasis on the link between improved food safety and nutrition and improved public health.

Entry requirements 

Entry requirements differ from course to course and university to university. However, in most cases a good second class honours degree in applied or pure science is necessary to apply for a food science postgraduate degree. In some courses, a 2.2 degree will suffice while in other courses, a 2.1 degree is required. 

Job options

Examples of jobs you can use a food science degree in are:

• Food scientist
• Food technologist
• Nutritional therapist 
• Product /process development scientist 
• Quality manager
• Scientific laboratory technician

Potential employers

Typical employers of those who have a food science degree are:

• Food manufacturers
• Food retailers
• Food producers
• Food policy development organisations
• Agriculture
• Industrial sectors
• Scientific sectors

Salary Expectation

The salary expectation depends solely on the route you want to take your career. There are many sectors and job options you can choose from. Experience can increase certain salaries. The average starting salary for a food scientist is £26,172. The average salary for a food technologist is £25,782. 

Skills and requirements

• Strong communication skills
• Problem solving skills
• Analytical skills
• Research skills
• Work well with others
• Attention to detail
• Good IT skills
• Good time management 
• Organisation skills
• Can work with statistics
• Ability to understand and analyse data