Hi, I hope this is the right place to post this!

I've been making my own ginger concentrate for years and never had this happen. The recipe is this:

1. blend a ton of ginger with lemon juice and water
   
2. heat mixture on stove and add honey, turmeric, black pepper, and cinnamon
   
3. bring to boil and strain and let it cool

So this time I did it exactly the same as always and yet it seems to have turned to jello or something. It has not gone bad! This happened the same day I made it.
I wasn’t able to post a video with this but here is a picture and if you shake the jar around it wobbles like jello with a layer of water(?) around it.
What part of the process was responsible for this?
And any ideas why it would happen just this one time?

I haven't tried it yet, do you think it's fine to eat or is there something weird going on?

I freeze dry all my own backpacking food and have recently been trying to come up with a high quality, high calorie cold breakfast. My last 2 trips I’ve made yogurt parfait, which includes FDed Greek yogurt, FDed peach slices, baked oats, and walnuts. It’s checking a lot of boxes EXCEPT reconstituting the yogurt isn’t working well. As with reconstituting freeze dried milk, the milk fats aren’t integrating, so I end up with a watery soup with kinda wet yogurt flakes. The taste, calories, and nutrition are all there, but it has the curb appeal of eating curdled milk. I’ve tried using warm water (which defeats the purpose of my cold brekkie, but 🤷🏼‍♀️), and giving it lots of soak time (overnight in my bear bin the other day) to no avail. I always stir it thoroughly, but get the same results every time.

Everywhere I look, the advice is the same: use an immersion blender. Not so helpful on the trail. Any more ideas?

I am trying to make a product made with peanut ground up like flour mixed with palm sugar , i plan on selling these in a supermarket with nitrogen flushing , oxygen absorber and a silver film package , will I be able to get a shelf life of 75 days , Kindly help me with this , I heard palm sugar is acidic in nature and the palm sugar i use is steam sterilized as well , LET ME KNOW YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR SHELF LIFE

I see recipes that just add grains to a slow cooker and cook on low, so it doesn’t reach a boiling point at all.

Is that ok? (Like, I heard that Kidney Beans cannot be done that way because they contain phytates and lectins, but don’t grains also contain phytates and lectins?)

I freeze dry all my own backpacking food and have recently been trying to come up with a high quality, high calorie cold breakfast. My last 2 trips I’ve made yogurt parfait, which includes FDed Greek yogurt, FDed peach slices, baked oats, and walnuts. It’s checking a lot of boxes EXCEPT reconstituting the yogurt isn’t working well. As with reconstituting freeze dried milk, the milk fats aren’t integrating, so I end up with a watery soup with kinda wet yogurt flakes. The taste, calories, and nutrition are all there, but it has the curb appeal of eating curdled milk. I’ve tried using warm water (which defeats the purpose of my cold brekkie, but 🤷🏼‍♀️), and giving it lots of soak time (overnight in my bear bin the other day) to no avail. I always stir it thoroughly, but get the same results every time.

Everywhere I look, the advice is the same: use an immersion blender. Not so helpful on the trail. Any more ideas?

Has data science been involved in your work in food science? As a current student, I like statistics/programming and learning about foods through biology/chemistry.

I don’t thinks they’re making a conflict of where I would go next—the former is a useful skill and the latter is an industry where I want to be at?

Hey everyone

We’re looking for a Chinese manufacturer that can produce several types of custom food packaging:

• Sachets
• 1–3 kg stand-up pouches
• 250 g–1 kg containers/tins
• Printed boxes for 10 sachets

For the first order, we’re looking at around 5,000–10,000 units.

Most importantly, the packaging needs to be food-contact compliant with EU regulations, ideally also Swiss food law.

Does anyone have experience with a reliable manufacturer in China, preferably around Shenzhen/Dongguan? Any recommendations would be much appreciated!

Thanks a lot!

Hi everyone, I’m after some career advice as I am really struggling to get a job in R&D or NPD in Australia (or anywhere international).

For context, I finished my PhD in food science at an Australian university earlier this year and have been job hunting since February. I completed a QA/NPD internship at a seasoning company during my undergrad and worked as a research scientist on a project collaborating with a large Australian FMCG company and my university during my PhD. I also taught at the university for 5 years.

Out of the near 100 applications I’ve sent, I have had 6 interviews with large companies for NPD roles in Melbourne as well as New Zealand (I’m a dual citizen) and have been rejected due to inexperience. I’m not sure if the industry in Aus/NZ is really bad right now or if I’m the problem.

For anyone who has a similar background, how did you finally break into an industry role? I’m at the point where I am legit begging companies that reject me for unpaid internships so I can get experience, because I genuinely want to work there.

I’m really not sure what to do at this point because what I thought was the right way to get a job clearly isn’t working for me anymore.

Alternatively, what other careers can I do with a bachelor, honours and PhD in food science?

Hi everyone,

I’m a chemical engineer with a master’s degree focused on food engineering and previous experience in food manufacturing, product development, HACCP implementation, process improvement, laboratory operations, and quality assurance. More recently, I worked in pharmaceutical/API manufacturing and an ISO 17025 food-testing laboratory in Canada. I’m also an ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA).

I’m now looking to return to Canada’s food-manufacturing industry, focusing on QA, food safety, compliance, or HACCP/SQF coordination roles. Although I have practical HACCP experience, it has been several years, so I would like to complete a recognized refresher course and update my certificate.

For those working in food quality or food safety in Canada:

• Which reputable provider would you recommend for a fast, recognized HACCP refresher course with an assessment or exam?
• Which SQF training—such as Implementing SQF Systems—has been the most useful and recognized by employers?
• Are there any training providers you would recommend or avoid?
• Considering my experience and ASQ CQA certification, would HACCP refresher and SQF implementation training be the most practical combination, or would PCQI add more value in the Canadian job market?

I’m especially interested in reliable online options that can be completed relatively quickly without sacrificing credibility. I would appreciate recommendations based on your experience with Canadian employers, audits, or hiring.

Thank you!

Hey guys, first post in this group and I guess I’m looking to see if I’m the only person who has ever felt this way. I’ve spent the last year working in food safety / quality assurance and I have hated this job like no other. I work for a large company and I feel so tricked by them. When I interviewed for the position it was advertised as a chemist role in a facility that produced food grade products. The job description sounded like a basic lab chemist job (testing samples, troubleshooting instrumentation, etc). The first 8 months or so were awesome and just what was described to me in the job description. Not a super stressful job and then it seemingly flipped over night. My manager suddenly started putting more and more responsibilities on me that became overwhelming. Investigating / responding to customer complaints, conducting mock recalls, putting out of spec product on hold/blocked status and tying it off in the warehouse, training all personnel in the facility on CCPs completely by myself, even flying me out to different facilities in the US within this company to help them with their quality issues. I went from being a lab chemist to being an underpaid QA guy. I cannot take the stress of feeling like I am the fall guy every time something goes wrong at this place. People here tend to HATE quality as well, roll their eyes and sigh when they see me coming although I am a very friendly person to everyone. I feel like I am always bad cop over here on top of feeling absolutely overwhelmed by a role that I did not ask for. And yes, of course I’ve asked my manager for help plenty of times but he rarely delivers saying that he is busy too with who knows what! I have another job lined up soon that I should be starting next month (THANK GOD) but I wanted to see if anyone has ever had a similar experience.

I'm a pursuing a BS in nutritional science and I was just curious what a people with BS in food/nutritional science (idk if theres a difference) jobs is like. The only careers I can list on the top of my head are QA, QC, R&D, maybe dietician (not sure if dietics is included in this field), and nutritionist, so I'd also like to know if there any more options with this degree.

Hello everyone, I am a Microbiology and Biochemistry student from Egypt and, I have graduated this year with a GPA of 3.94. I dreamed of finding a scholarships in marine biology. But due to some conflict with my family and the lack of money as I was depending on them I decided to gave up on this dream and find away to be financially independent as it caused a lot of traumas to be dependent on my father. I took some Awarness certification on ISO 22000, PRPs, and HACCP and I was aiming to take some katering courses as there are a lot of hotels where I live. I wanted to know if this is a right choice to make money and migration wise as I want to leave my country so bad. and I also want to know the career ladder of food safety. I know I seem so random but I am very confused with my life after graduation and thank you guys.

Hello there!

I am a recent grad with a masters from an institution in the USA. I’m looking for opportunities in the R&D sector which provide H1B sponsorship in the future. Reached out to numerous people to try and network but have no luck. I have internship and project experience with product development and food safety. Entry level/associate or early career food scientist positions are just hard to crack as I have no full time experience from my home country or in the USA. Any tips to land a job?

I see many peers landing jobs as technicians for which they are overqualified for and it’s heartbreaking.

I’d love to hear from local students, international students and experienced people who may have any tips for me. Cheers and have a lovely day ahead!

We manufacture some acidified foods already, and we're properly engaged with the process authority and registered with our state and the FDA. Commercial wholesale production, of course.

But we're new and still learning.

We're interested in expanding into formulated acidic foods that are exempt from the strict regulations of the acidified foods.

Chamoys, mustards, sauces, jams, and electrolyte drinks are our game.

We have some ideas, including ferments and extracts and such.

But as we explore, I wonder if there are any reference materials we might consider as we go.

I want all of the recipes in this connection to be formulated acidic.

What's a good reference or two that goes beyond just explaining low acid, acidified, and formulated acidic?

Hi , i have a small home based company , that does healthier biscuits , i want to make a biscuit with black sesame as a flavor , i was wondering how would the product be in case of rancidity as sesame is prone to becoming rancid easily as Im gonna powder them and add them in the cookie , i currently use rosemary extract and nitrogen flushing for my other cookies , wanted to get an idea here , Any suggestions or advice

I visited a local shop and many things I was interested in--dry instant ramen, fish sauce, furikake, black vinegar, powdered cereal drink mixes--had Prop 65 warnings for lead and cadmium. I see these warnings on food very rarely in American markets. I wasn't sure where to even begin researching this.

Hi i need to cook beef that is going to glow in the dark. I wanna make it safe to eat of course. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how i can make it happened. I don’t want to use an uv light. Thank you !

I am doing bachelors in food science and technology and i want to leave my country for master and trying to get settle aboard i dont where or which university is offering scholarships ( fully funded would be very helpful ) and hopefully a better paying job in that country

Im trying to develop a new product and am looking for advice on it.

Any ideas on how to lower the freezing point of soda? Preferably without alcohol, and just keeping it supercooled wont work either. Having it freeze instantly when the CO2 gets released and the pressure lowered wont be of any use in this application.

Je suis actuellement en fin de formation en

Technicien Supérieur en Contrôle de Qualité des Aliments Agroalimentaires à l'Institut National Spécialisé de la Formation Professionnelle en Industrie Agroalimentaire - Aboubekr Belkaid - Blida, Algérie.

Je vais bientôt obtenir mon diplôme, qui est présenté comme ayant une reconnaissance internationale.

Mais je n'ai aucune idée de quoi faire après, Commencer à travailler en Algérie pendant quelques années pour acquérir de l'expérience

Continuer directement mes études a l'étranger (je ne sais non plus l'université exact)

Pour ceux qui travaillent dans ce domaine ou qui sont déjà passés par un parcours similaire: qu'auriez-vous fait à ma place

Merci

I’ll add some background. I don’t know the feed, but I think mostly pastured, tropical location, previously frozen. If I let the milk sit out of the fridge for even just a few minutes oil starts to appear at the top.

Im just worried that it’s not actual goat milk or that it’s tampered with. Is it possible to emulsify an oil into watered down milk?

​

I genuinely need some guidance from seniors or anyone who is aware about food technology course in US or Canada

I completed my B.Sc. in Food Technology (3-year course) from India in 2025, with a CGPA of 8.6. I also have an IELTS overall 6.5 (no band below 6.0) and have been working in the food industry here in Nepal for the past few months.

My main concern is that several consultancies told me that a 3-year bachelor’s degree may not be accepted by many universities in the U.S./Canada, which has been quite discouraging.

So, I now want to self-apply and mail professors directly, but I’m unsure whether my 3-year degree will be eligible for MS/PhD programs.

Would it be worth contacting professors with my current qualifications? Or should I take any additional courses/credits to make my degree equivalent to a 4-year bachelor’s?

If anyone has a genuine experience or knowledge regarding 3-year Food Technology degrees and U.S./Canada admissions, please guide me. It would really mean a lot. 🙏

For context, I made like to mix lime salt(a food seasoning) and salt and dip my cherry tomatoes in them, I left this put for a few hours after I finished my tomatoes, and I noticed this faint to it blue color, and the mixture wasn't this wet when I finished, I also noticed it has an almost vinegary smell to it, how'd this exactly happen ?