This was not cooking school, or culinary arts instruction.

To prepare U.S. industry for the burgeoning growth and careers in food science, high school science teachers need more tools and know-how for teaching the often misunderstood career of "food science." Just informing students and teachers that there is such a thing as "food science" and that it incorporates chemistry, physics, biology, fluid dynamics and the laws of gravity are just part of the challenge. "So many times people hear 'food science' and think about food service," said Steve Andon, board member and director of TIC Gums. "The types of occupations we are trying to encourage are real science roles in the food manufacturing industry, which is far different."

It was for these reasons that members of Cornell University's Food Science department conducted a one day workshop for high and middle school teachers from Harford County, Maryland. The workshop was conducted at TIC Gums Texture Innovation Center, located in White Marsh, MD. Attendees learned about teaching food chemistry, food processing, food safety, nutrition and sensory evaluation.

Careers in Food Science are Available

Insuring that there are enough qualified food scientists is important for the health and well-being of the population. According to the United States Department of Labor Statistics, employment of Agricultural and Food Scientists could potentially grow by as much as 16% starting in 2008 through 2018. This growth is faster than most other occupations.

The development in the field will be the result of higher standards for food and beverages in a population that is growing. "We want to do what we can to support the students and schools here in Maryland and introduce them to experts like those from Cornell," said Andon. "Companies like ours need experts in this field to work at our company as do others like ours. Encouraging and educating their high school science teachers is a logical first step."

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Staff leading the sessions from Cornell University were: Dr. Alicia Orta-Ramirez and Mr. Travis Chapin. Leading the effort for the Harford County Schools was Dr. Jonathan Brown. And leading the discussion from TIC Gums was Mr. Steve Andon and Mr. Tim Andon.