When the COVID-19 crisis hit, many food scientists had the same thought, “what do we do without our lab?”
“We were all at home, so information is available, but not a lab, so trying to test or demonstrate something might be challenging,” said Chief Science Officer and Vice President of R&D Ody Maningat, Ph.D.
Food science students were also affected, as many companies cancelled internships and work programs. “This summer, I was supposed to be an R&D intern at a major food company. However, due to the coronavirus situation, the company decided to cancel the internship. I am of course very devastated,” expressed Reddit user kevzhang01.
So as current or aspiring food scientists, how can you continue to build skills while isolated away from your lab? Here’re a few tips from our experts:
Consume as much info as possible
If you can’t test or experiment, learn. Read research papers or attend webinars, even if they don’t exactly pertain to your role or what you’re studying. Just surrounding yourself with food science information and conversation will build knowledge and skills.
Get cookin’
Make your kitchen your lab. Try cooking up something new. Take detailed notes. Give your creation a thorough sensory evaluation. Be creative. Tweak the recipe and try it again, just like you would do if you were in a lab.
Grow a garden
Learn more about the ingredients supply chain by building one yourself. Having a garden will also help you gain knowledge of nutrition and the effects certain environments have on a product’s quality and yield.
And you can always explore MGP products and brainstorm how they can help you make extraordinary new creations.