Description
Apply microbiology, biochemistry, and process engineering to design, optimize, and control food and beverage fermentations; analyze substrates and products for microbial performance and sensory and nutritional attributes; develop novel fermented foods and ingredients; ensure fermentations are safe, consistent, and compliant; and determine best methods to inoculate, scale, package, preserve, store, and distribute fermented products.
- • Test fermented products for flavor, aroma, texture, acidity/alcohol, nutritional content, and compliance with standards.
- • Assess raw materials and starter cultures for suitability, viability, and contamination; verify finished product safety and quality.
- • Collaborate with process engineers, production teams, flavor experts, and packaging to resolve fermentation and scale-up issues.
- • Evaluate fermentation and storage operations and help build HACCP- and GMP-based quality programs.
- • Optimize media composition, inoculation rates, temperature, pH, aeration, agitation, and time to improve yield and consistency.
- • Study microbial physiology, kinetics, and metabolite profiles and how they change during fermentation and storage.
- • Develop or improve bioreactor, CIP/SIP, downstream processing, and packaging methods for fermented foods and ingredients.
- • Create fermentation specifications, SOPs, sanitation and contamination-control procedures, and waste and water guidelines.
- • Demonstrate fermented products and technologies to clients or internal stakeholders.
- • Inspect fermentation rooms, tanks, and packaging areas for compliance with regulations and sanitation, safety, and quality standards.
- • Identify and implement clean-label alternatives to undesirable additives using microbial pathways or processing aids.
- • Develop new fermented products or line extensions based on consumer insights and sensory data.
- • Stay current on regulations, literature, and patents related to fermentation science, strains, and processing technologies.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
