Career ladders in the food industry mirror most other research and product-based industries. Individuals trined in science can advance on a research track or can go into management. Food science lends itself well to making these moves. In basic research, they look at the properties of proteins, starches, fat, and carbohydrates to determine how each works in a food system such as processed foods. In applications research, chemists often come up with new ways that ingredients can be used, or with wholly new ingredients altogether such as fat or sugar replacements.
Flavor chemists develop flavors that contribute to the overall food system.
They do this using a combination of natural and artificial ingredients. Most of a food scientist's work is conducted in the lab, but he or she may travel to meet and work with customers. Labs are often set up like kitchens, with ovens, blenders, and other cooking equipment. Food scientists also work for the government at the Food and Drug Administration or United States Department of Agriculture and in academia. Most basic research is done in academia, while more applications work is conducted by the food scientists in industry.