In terms of value of shipments, food processing is the largest manufacturing industry in the United States. Graduates of the UT Food Science and Technology program have career options in a variety of food industries, such as dairy products, meat and meat products, fruit and vegetable products, and cereal products. There also are positions in state and federal government in food safety and quality inspection. National assessments project that within the next decade, the demand for food science graduates working in the food industry will exceed the available supply by 10-15 percent. According to recent reports, food science-related careers are among the top job prospects for the 21 st century.
Salaries are competitive with most other professional subject areas.
These curricula prepare students to apply basic scientific and business principles to manufacturing, processing, distribution and utilization of food products that meet the needs and desires of consumers. Course work emphasizes the basic principles of converting raw food materials into safe, acceptable consumer products. Selected commodity courses detail processing of specific types of food materials such as bakery products, crop products, dairy products, and meat products. Students entering the program should have an interest in the sciences, such as chemistry, microbiology, and biology. Elective courses permit students to develop backgrounds in business with courses in accounting, business law, marketing, finance, transportation, and economics or in other areas of their choice.