From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A flavorist, also known as flavor chemist, is someone who uses both chemistry and art to engineer artificial and natural flavors. Affordable refrigeration for the home spurred a major growth of food processing technology. Processes used in the food industry to provide safe products often affect the quality of the flavor of the food. To the detriment of the consumer these technologies remove most of the naturally occurring flavors. To remedy the flavor loss the food processing industry turned to the flavor industry who had vast experience with aromas and food systems. The chemists that tackled the demand of the food processing industry became known as flavorists and thus the flavor industry was born.

Educational requirements for the profession known as flavorist is varied. Flavorists have had little or no formal education to PhD's obtained in subjects such as Biochemistry and Chemistry. However because the training of a flavorist is mostly done on-the-job and specifically at a flavor company known as a flavor house, this training is similar to the apprentice system known in trades. In the United States a flavorist can join the Society of Flavor Chemists that meet in New Jersey, Cincinnati and the West Coast 5-6 times a year. To be an apprentice flavorist in the society one must pass an apprenticeship within a flavor house for 5 years. To be a certified member with voting rights, they must pass a 7 year program. Each level is verified by an oral test of the Membership/Certification Committee. An alternative to training under a flavorist as in the above two cases a 15 year independent option is available.

• Occupational Outlook Quarterly Online: You're a What? Flavorist
• Desirable Technical Requirements of a flavorist
• Society of Flavor Chemists