Choosing a career in nutrition or food safety is more exciting than ever!
Consumers are increasingly interested in food, health, and nutrition, bringing about a growing need for food safety and nutrition professionals with a wide range of skills, specialties, and interests. Not only are there more opportunities in traditional settings like hospitals, schools, and health departments, but there are also many prospects in new fields ranging from communications to the culinary arts, to fitness, and wellness. The time is ripe to enter the field and do what you love to do!
Exciting Careers in Nutrition
Nutrition Communications: Research shows that consumers feel overwhelmed with the amount of information they receive regarding food, nutrition, and health. They are bombarded with seemingly contradictory messages from a variety of sources such as the news media, friends and family, the Internet, and a host of other sources. In this environment there is a growing need for credible voices that are able to communicate valuable information in "consumer-friendly" language. For this reason, many organizations, in both the private and public sectors, are seeking professionals to fill the niche of nutrition communicator. Such professionals translate nutrition science into clear, understandable messages for consumers and disseminate these messages through communication materials, speaking at conferences, media appearances, and other mediums. In addition, there are opportunities for nutrition professionals with journalism experience to contribute to newspaper columns, magazine articles, and the ever-expanding online world of information.
Food and Culinary: In the past, Registered Dietitians (RD) may have been considered "nutrition nannies," but food and nutrition go hand-in-hand, and more RDs are showing their love for food by combining careers in culinary arts and dietetics. Such careers may include developing and modifying recipes for healthfulness, leading cooking demonstrations/classes, working in supermarkets, or contributing to magazines. Some RDs have even found their niche starring in cooking shows and authoring cookbooks. The public is primed for RDs who are willing to step into the spotlight to offer a total diet approach to a healthful lifestyle.
Fitness and Wellness: According to IFIC Foundation research, consumers are more physically active now than they have been in past years. Many are joining gyms or visiting wellness facilities to improve their health. People who use these facilities are an ideal audience for accurate nutrition information. Credentialed nutrition professionals at fitness and wellness centers may counsel clients one-on-one, devise personalized nutrition plans, lead group nutrition sessions, or help athletes determine specific diets for optimal performance. Additionally, many forward-thinking corporations are instituting corporate wellness programs and centers to improve employees’ health in an effort to reduce healthcare costs, thereby opening the door for nutrition professionals to provide consultation to members of these programs.
Exciting Careers in Food Safety
As we all know, the health and welfare of the global population depends on access to a safe food supply. Therefore, food safety professionals continue to be in high-demand around the world. The opportunities for those with a food background, whether it is in food safety, food science, food manufacturing, food communications, or food technology, are abundant and continue to grow. And by no means is the field limited to traditional roles—food safety careers offer exciting, hands-on experiences that are both challenging and rewarding.
Traditional Roles: Food Production: When you think of careers related to food safety, you might think of companies that produce, manufacture, process, or distribute foods. A large portion of careers related to food safety can be found in the broad-based food, beverage, and agricultural industries. Whether this means working with a food product manufacturer or with a company that supplies a particular ingredient, the food, beverage, and agricultural industries provide countless opportunities that include (but are not limited to): research, product development, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, packaging, and manufacturing.
Regulatory and Research Roles: Depending on personal strengths, there are food safety opportunities in academia, at research facilities, and at the federal, state, or local regulatory levels. If education and teaching is of interest, positions in the university setting, with extension services, or even a public or environmental health role may be a good fit. Talented communicators have countless prospects in regulatory affairs, corporate communications, consumer communications, and even public policy. Likewise, if research is of interest, it may be beneficial to pursue a career in chemistry or microbiology. And since many of the foods we eat come from animals, a background in veterinary medicine is a good complement to exploring a career in food safety.
The aforementioned nutrition and food safety careers are not all-inclusive. Opportunities can be found around every corner, from the private to the public sector, from universities to the community level. And as with any career path, it is prudent to look beyond the current opportunities in the field and explore opportunities to apply food safety, nutrition, and communication talents in a novel way.
