CAREERS
withSTEM JOB KIT ™
FOOD CHEMIST Use science to make food tastier, healthier and more sustainable
THE SCIENCE OF FOOD. THE BUSINESS OF FEEDING THE WORLD. The only Master’s level degree in Australia combining food science and agribusiness Food scientists develop the products that feed the world. But turning great science into successful food requires an understanding of business, markets and consumers. At Monash University, the Master of Food Science and Agribusiness gives you both. You’ll explore the chemistry of food, gain industry insight and learn how innovative products move from research to reality. CRICOS provider: Monash University 00008C Monash College 01857J
Find out how Monash is shaping the future of food. Study the Master of Food Science and Agribusiness.
FOREWORD
The perfect recipe
When you understand food at a molecular level, you can change everything from flavour to long-term sustainability
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IMAGE: MONASH UNIVERSITY
e will all agree with George Bernard Shaw that “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” Thin k about t your favourite dish or dessert. Wha the ur, colo the ll, sme The makes it so appealing? ther to create text ure, and the taste all come toge lities exist the experience you enjoy. These qua tant ly because the molecules in food are cons r. In other othe interacting and reacting with each words, they are doing ‘chemistry’. foods we Food chemistry sits at the hear t of the s melt e olat choc why s eat ever y day. It explain ours flav ral natu how th, smoothly in your mou urt or develop in fermented foods like yogh r qua lity thei n ntai mai s food how sourdough, and ists chem d as they travel from farm to plate. Foo s tion reac the study the composition of foods and ing. cook and age that occur during processing, stor ws scientists Understanding these reactions allo system. food the in ges to solve real-world cha llen s, ient nutr for s food Food chemists ana lyse re they are contaminants and additives to ensu ainable sust e mor elop dev also y safe to eat. The , and design foods, such as plant-based proteins freshness and ways to maintain flavour, text ure in. cha ly as food moves through the supp ntial for Food chemistry knowledge is also esse food cing redu ding inclu sustainability initiatives, m sfor tran to s way ve vati waste and finding inno t, shor In nts. edie ingr able valu into food by-products into t food food chemistry turns curiosity abou solutions. ve vati inno and ies over disc scientific can lead istry A strong foundation in food chem der broa the in ers to a wide range of exciting care that ring ensu gy, nolo field of food science and tech e. yabl enjo and s itiou nutr the food we eat is safe, in ed rest inte ents stud ity, At Monash Univers y science and shaping the future of food can stud
BSc (Honours) in Food Science and Technology, KNUST, Ghana
Dominic Agyei Associate Professor of Food Chemistry, Monash University
Food chemistry turns curiosity about food into scientific discoveries and innovative solutions” continue their journey through prog rams such as the Master of Food Science and Agr ibusiness (MFSA), the only masters level cour se in Australia that combines scientific expertise with agribusiness and insights into inno vation, sustainabilit y and the global food indu stry. Monash MFSA graduates are equippe d with the knowledge and skills to help feed com munities and transform the way the world prod uces and experiences food. Dominic Agyei, Associate Professo r of Food Chemistry, Monash University
PhD in Bioprocess Engineering, Monash University Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Food Science, University of Otago, New Zealand
PostdoctoralResearch Fellow, Deakin University
Associate Professor of FoodChemistry / Course Director Master of Food Science and Agribusiness, Monash University
Check out CareerswithSTEM.com for more insights, information, inspiration and advice about food chemistry careers! 3
FOOD CHEMIST
DEEP DIVE
Bringing the b a l e h t o t n e kitch tier, healthier, Food chemists use science to make food tas or more sustainable – or all three!
5 advantages of studying at Monash Learn from experts and develop digital, data and industry skills. Study with leading academics and industry professionals while building the digital, analytical and problem-solving skills employers value across a wide range of industries.
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Outstanding facilities. Gain hands-on experience in specialist laboratories, advanced analytical facilities and a commercial teaching kitchen designed to prepare you for industry environments in the real world.
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Strong industry connections. Build your professional network through industry partnerships, guest speakers, professional associations and opportunities to engage directly with employers.
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Show me the money
$
According to the Australian s, Bureau of Statistics, chemist a rn ea ts tis ien food and wine sc k. 14 median income of $1 Here are some other l potential entry-leve positions you could start in:
Food technologist: $75k-$90k*
Study science, business and innovation together. Combine food science with agribusiness, technology and entrepreneurship, giving you a broader understanding of how modern food systems operate and evolve.
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Graduate ready for the future. Develop the skills needed to tackle global challenges such as food security and sustainability, while opening doors to careers in food innovation, agribusiness, consulting, government and research
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Food policy officer: $100k-$105k* Food product : development scientist $75k-$95k* *Salaries according to SEEK
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To find out more, scan the QR code
WORDS: ELLEN PHIDDIAN | IMAGES: MONASH UNIVERSITY, SHUTTERSTOCK
E
ver wondered why fresh raspberries spoil in a few days but they can last weeks when cooked into jam? Or gazed at a long list of ingredients on a chocolate bar, wondering what each of those weirdly-named things are? If cooking is chemistry, then food chemistry is super-advanced cooking. Food chemists examine foods at a molecular level. They study nutrients that humans need to keep healthy, individual flavours and preservatives, contaminants, and changes that happen when cooking or spoiling. A food chemist might be narrowing down the exact molecule that gives a chip a garlic-y flavour, checking batches of bread for contamination, or figuring out ways to make a crop more protein-rich. There are lots of directions the field can take you! As the world’s population and food waste grows, food chemists are also interested in sustainability: how to grow more food, how to preserve food and limit waste, and how waste can be used more productively.
Fancy a jackfr uit?
excellent employers Graduates from Monash’s Master of Food Science and Agribusiness have picked up jobs at: • Mérieux NutriSciences • Lamb Weston Australia • Patties Food Group • Varden Process • Asahi Beverages • Food Entrepreneurship Academy • Gypsy Hub • Royal Nut Company • SodaStream • Lantmännen Unibake Australia • GrainCorp • Cobs Fine Foods • Farm Pride Food Ltd • Hilton Foods Asia Pacific • StrangeLove Beverage Co.
The Top End of Austr for grow ing jackfru al ia is perfect it, and people are interested in tr ying it! But the market for the crop wasn’t grow ing. Research ers at the Monash Food In novation hub helped out with Proje ct Jack fr uit. They tested six di ffe rent concepts (including jackfru it ju ice, jackfru it powder and even jac kfru it cereal) with 1,250 consumers!
Pick your field With a Master in Food Science and Agribusiness at Monash University, you could end up working in:
Food Industry & 1Perfect Manufacturing new food recipes as
Be in demand The food and beverage industry is:
✔ Australia’s largest manufacturing industry ✔ A growing industry, with 34,000 jobs added in the last decade ✔ Increasingly requiring employees with technological, digital and data skills *Source: Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) - An Essential Ingredient: The Food Supply Chain Workforce Summary report. 2025.
a product development scientist. You could also design new flavours and ingredients while working in research & development (R&D). Or, you could monitor the safety and quality of food production with quality control and assurance, as a food safety manager or working in compliance.
& 2Here,Agribusiness Value Chain you could work as an
analyst or consultant of supply chains or markets, as a brand or product manager or in procurement and sourcing.
Policy 3FoodGovernment, & Regulation production is subject to tight regulations! Want to improve food safety and health? You could work in food regulation & standards, policy and strategy around nutrition and food security or as a government advisor.
Research & 4 Innovation If you simply can’t quench your
curiosity, a Masters degree sets you up well for further research. You could pursue a PhD in food science, work as a researcher, as an analyst or in food safety & risk.
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FOOD CHEMIST
REAL PEOPLE
h c n u l o t b a l m o r F
own meat her cooking up recipes for lab-gr
PhD in Food Science, Monash University
has Jing chonG’s interest in science
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study science after ing knew she wanted to ich direction to wh school, but wasn’t sure lot of different a try go in. She decided to e to see what enc Sci of topics in her Bachelor piqued her interest. ence, and I thought “I got exposed to food sci t because it connects it’s an interesting subjec that we eat every day.” science with something ments of the She loved the practical ele d an Agribusiness Master of Food Science interdisciplinary at Monash, as well as the to market. cts du training in getting pro and some business ts jec sub e “We have scienc get us to understand and law subjects, which industry works.” how the real-world food uni, Jing worked Once she graduated from food and supplement in quality assurance at a company met its company, making sure the food safety standards. involves technical “It’s a dynamic role that munication skills knowledge and a lot of com with different because we need to work ns. departments,” Jing explai
While she was working, she realised she wanted to help create new knowledge. This led her back to Monash, where she’s now pursuing a PhD studying “cultivated meat”, also known as lab-grown meat. “We’re growing the meat in the lab using animal cells, so you don’t need to invo lve the process of slaughtering the animal, and [you can] make it more sustainable.” Jing’s working on improving the qua lity of lab-grown meats – ways to make the taste and text ure closer to natural meat, and with better nutritional value. She’s also interested in finding ways to make these substances easier to scale up, so that they can eventually be produced industria lly. “It’s a very exciting and cha llenging field, and I’m sure it’s going to have a stro ng impact in the future food system.”
Sometimes you don’t need to have everything figured “ out to move forward, because the answer comes from trying different things and learning along the way”
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WORDS: ELLEN PHIDDIAN | IMAGE: MONASH UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Science, Australian National University
Master of Food Science and Agribusiness, Monash University
Assistant Quality Assurance Manager, Jinqi Wellbeing
Teaching Associate, Monash University
Jing Chong, PhD student, Monash University
A refreshing sip of science
Sachin Paul Prototype Development Manager, Asahi
Fancy a cool, flavoured beverage? Sachin Paul is helping to design new drinks
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ermarket shelf ver seen a new drink on a sup e? A lot of and wondered how it was mad erage, bev a g work is involved in creatin marketing. and trol con from operations to quality ager, man t men elop dev In his job as a prototype areas. se the of all from ple Sachin works with peo developing “My work is centred around ensuring quality and ving ‑sol blem products, pro throughout the process.” the food industry, Tastes constantly change in keep across both to so Sachin says it’s important sumers are con t emerging science, and wha
WORDS: ELLEN PHIDDIAN | IMAGES: SUPPLIED, SHUTTERSTOCK
interested in. nities for food “There are exciting opportu e insights and slat tran can technologists who nate with trends into products that reso s. say he ” consumers, in working in Sachin was initially interested n he star ted whe the pharmaceutical industry drew him to the d foo in t university, but an interes iness at ibus Agr and Master of Food Science Monash University. jects. It was always “I honestly loved group pro others and also a great challenge to work with learn from your peers.” par t of the job is Similarly, now his favourite working with other people. er and keep each “We all learn from each oth other motivated.” rested in Sachin’s advice for people inte afraid to ask be n’t “Do ? nce scie studying food they are stupid!” questions, even if you think
Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry), Monash University
Innovation Manager, StrangeLove Beverages, Asahi Australia
Master of Food Science and Agribusiness, Monash University
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Prototype Development Manager, Asahi Group Holdings
FOOD CHEMIST
NEXT STEPS
Yeast-erday’s news
Baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) isn’t the only typ e of yeast. Accord ing to Dr Sameer a Sirisena, who is studying oth er yeast species, they potentiall y have unique bioactive proper ties and can be useful food sources.
Get the job!
Got chemistry with food chemistry? Here’s the recipe for a great career To get into the Master of Food Science and Agribusiness, you need: ✔ A Bachelor’s degree in science,
engineering, dietetics or health, with at least 60% (credit) average: gains entry to the 2-year Master’s degree ✔ A Bachelor’s degree in food science or food engineering, with at least 60% (credit) average: gains entry to the 1.5-year Master’s degree ✔ A Bachelor degree with Honours in food science or food engineering and at least 60% (credit) average overall: gains entry to the 1-year Master’s degree
✔ If you’re still in school, study subjects like
follow
Watch
Monash’s Master of Food Science and Agribusiness
Perfectly Replicating Coca Cola (It Took Me A Year): LabCoatz
How Coke’s top-secret recipe can be cracked. Spoiler: it takes a lot of analytical chemistry and taste testing! bit.ly/coke-labcoatz
Monash Science Alumni
Dr Karl’s How Things Work: ABC iView
Keep your eye out for the episodes on chips, pies, bread, and ice cream! bit.ly/drkarl-iview
chemistry, biology, and maths.
3D-printed food? We can 3D-print rocket parts, so why not food? Dr Shahnaz Mansouri is working on a three-dimensional edible printing project with PhD students at Monash. She says the project could help people to customise their nutrition, reduce waste, and allow for more personalised on-demand food production.
Did you know?
For the past centur y, most of the world’s fer til iser ha s been made out of air. Nitrogen in the air (N ) is reacted with hydrogen to make 2 am monia (N H ). Hu nd reds of m ill ion 3 s of tonnes of am monia are made th is way each year , most of wh ich is th en turned into fer til isers so crops can get the nitrates they need. Chem ists are literal ly turn in g air into food!
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Refraction Media acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. This edition was published on 1 September 2026.
WORDS: ELLEN PHIDDIAN | IMAGES: MONASH UNIVERSITY
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