Have you ever heard of a job that involves tasting food all day long? It may sound like a dream come true, but it's actually a real job. Professional flavor testers are average consumers who are hired on a part-time or occasional basis to try various products and share their feedback on the taste of the products. Companies like Solae's tasting panels have helped drive soy innovations in frozen desserts, vegetarian foods and even jerky. When you apply for a job as a professional taster, your language is, for all intents and purposes, the real interviewee, says Schroeder.
The information collected helps the food industry address consumer demands and introduce new and improved products. Professional evaluators usually work for a food manufacturer or similar company to develop new food products or improve existing ones on the market. You may know them more informally as taste evaluators, but sensory testers do much more than test foods. Focus & Testing Based in Los Angeles, Focus & Testing is one of the leading flavor testing centers in the U.
S. Department of State specializing in food and beverage research. As a professional taster, you know what you like, but it's also important to keep in touch with what consumers demand. Their responsibilities include scoring each food in these particular areas and explaining the basis of their opinion.
The first group takes food samples as part of their work, while the second only participates in taste tests. To become a professional flavor tester, you need a degree in food science or a related field. In both jobs, their duties include testing products and documenting their opinions orally or in writing. A professional flavor tester evaluates the taste, texture, aroma, color and other qualities of food products. Most of us have heard of “food testers” and “flavor testers” and wonder how someone gets such an incredible job.
It's not as easy as it sounds - it requires knowledge and experience in the food industry. But if you have the right qualifications and experience, you can become a professional flavor tester.
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