Student Has Chemical Attraction to Food Science

For most, the idea of eating a chemistry project sounds far from appetizing. For Penn State student Laura Weir, however, it might just be the sweetest meal of the day.

Weir, a senior majoring in food science with a minor in nutrition, recently interned at a Nestlé plant in Marysville, Ohio, with the company’s ice cream coatings and confectionary group.

“This opportunity was really amazing for someone interested in food science, because Nestlé is the biggest food supplier in the world,” she says. “Along with ice cream, Nestlé produces a number of other food products, including Lean Cuisine, Buitoni pasta products, and even Juicy Juice.

“The ice cream coatings and confectionary group not only develops new coatings for ice cream products, but also improves the coatings of ice cream bars, cones, and novelty products,” Weir says. “I also worked on developing formulations for new ice cream coating products and improving on existing recipes and formulations. So, not only did I get the chance to work with two things I love—science and ice cream—but I also got to taste the results of my ice cream concoctions.”

Weir’s sweet tooth, however, wasn’t what originally led her into food science. Like most students just entering college, she was uncertain about her major.

“When I was applying to Penn State, I was trying to choose between what seemed like two very different majors,” she says. “I was considering a chemistry major because of my passion for science. At the same time, however, I was also toying with the idea of going to culinary school since I love cooking and working with food. While I was split between the two, I read an article in a Penn State magazine about the food science major. I found that food science actually combines both my passion for science and my love of cooking. I made the switch and I’ve loved it ever since.”

—Kyle Bohunicky