Pursuing food science may not be a traditional pathway into global development, but Tawee Impoolsup, a food scientist and food program and safety supervisor at food rescue foundation Scholars of Sustenance, believes every food-focused NGO should employ someone with this expertise.
“Food scientists can do more than factory work,” he said, adding that most NGOs working on food donations for vulnerable communities limit themselves to working with dry food, but engaging an expert opens up opportunities to tackle food waste and hunger on a bigger scale.
According to the World Food Programme, nearly a third of food produced is wasted each year, yet the number of people estimated to experience food insecurity in 2023 is 345.2 million.