# Food Technology degree? Taste testing for four years? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2008, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-technology-degree-taste-testing-for-four-years/454416 "2008-06-27T08:30:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scrambledeggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@scrambledeggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scrambledeggs)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-technology-degree-taste-testing-for-four-years/454416/1 "2008-06-27T08:30:12Z")
Anyone know about the “food technology” degree that many universities are offering now? It has been listed as similar to an Engineering degree, but what exactly is it? Are the courses hard-core math/applied math/engineering stuff? Or is it more ‘softy’ and artsy? Are they taste testing for four years or what? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-technology-degree-taste-testing-for-four-years/454416/2 "2008-06-27T08:51:17Z")
I would imagine it’s all about how to design production lines for the food industry. Robotics, industrial controls, hydraulics, electronics, machining, statistics, health, disease, designing cooking processes, canning, packaging, relevant legislation, etc, etc. Someone has to set up the production lines for Cheetos… ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-technology-degree-taste-testing-for-four-years/454416/3 "2008-06-27T16:02:42Z")
First hit on Google for “food technology degree” [http://www.universities.com/On-Campus/Illinois\_Institute\_Of\_Technology\_Masters\_degree\_Food\_Technology\_and\_Processing.html](http://www.universities.com/On-Campus/Illinois_Institute_Of_Technology_Masters_degree_Food_Technology_and_Processing.html) > [@](#): > > General Description for: > Illinois Institute Of Technology Master’s degree Food Technology and Processing: A program that focuses on the application of chemical, physical, and engineering principles to the development and implementation of manufacturing, packaging, storage, and distribution technologies and processes for food products. Includes instruction in food engineering, food preservation and handling, food preparation, food packaging and display, food storage and shipment, and related equipment and facilities design, operation, and maintenance. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-technology-degree-taste-testing-for-four-years/454416/4 "2008-06-27T16:51:28Z")
It’s more science, definitely not artsy. We’ve got a couple of folks here with doctoral degrees in food science and technology. Telemark’s description nailed it. Think microbiologist, something like that. The people I work with that have these degrees focus on preservation, packaging, QA, QC, R&D, and so on. They spend a fair amount of time in the lab, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/food-technology-degree-taste-testing-for-four-years/454416/5 "2008-06-27T18:10:26Z")
[Link to the UC Davis Food Science and Technology page, with their definition.](http://foodscience.ucdavis.edu/about/what-is-food-science/) They seem not to be concentrating on the factory design side of things, from the look of the page. > [@](#): > > With this special training in the applied Food Science, many exciting and productive careers with a wide range of employment opportunities exist for the trained professional, such as > > - Product Development Specialist > - Sensory Scientist > - Quality Control Specialist > - Technical Sales Representative On the sensory side, I know they have a red room, that is, a room where all the lighting is red. This washes out most of the visual attractiveness of the food and allows more objective food tasting results.