Food Science R&D At Home? Yes You Can Do That!

I have been a food science consultant for the past 10 years. I originally worked out of my apartment but eventually was lucky enough to find an affordable laboratory space in the bay area. Very lucky I might add—everyone knows what space is like in the bay area #notmuchandsuperexpensive.

Although I have a lab space, it’s really just a space that had just a sink and some shelving when I moved in. I had to turn that sink room into a food science lab. As my fellow food scientists know-99% of food science is what we know, in our heads-and 10% are the tools to measure and verify what we already know. Lucky for us those tools and devices are affordable and come in small bench top sizes.

A Room With A View

I wanted to take this opportunity to share the simple but crucial tools of the trade that a food scientist needs to work from their own home! Since most of the food scientists in the world live in locations that are more affordable than the bay area and many probably have a garage, a spare room, a guest house—anything, that first hurdle can probably easily be overcome by many food techs out there. Having a space (ideally with a sink) is the minimum starting point. However, I have in my past had to formulate products in the break room of a start-up food company so maybe just a kitchen corner may do the job as well!

Weighing Scale

What next—the first purchase should be a scale. I won’t recommend any particular brand of scale but it should be a good quality scale that weighs up to at least 3000 grams and goes out to the 1/100th decimal point. That should cover most R&D needs. If you really need to measure out to the 1/1000th point, you can buy an inexpensive jewelry scale for $30 bucks online. Since you will be weighing lots of ingredients you don’t want to exceed the scales weight limit so buy lots of light weight metal bowls (the really cheap ones from the restaurant supply stores) and lots of small weighing boats or mini bowls. Get lots of them, a few stacks!

Computer/Spreadsheet

It goes without saying that a laptop computer armed with a spreadsheet program is crucial. Formulations, math calculations, even nutritional analysis can all be done on the spreadsheet. If you can get a cloud version of a nutritional software program (there are several out there) or access to your own companies internal analysis programs that they may have in place.

Analytical Tools

I know that in big companies they have lots of heavy duty pH meters and industrial strength analytical equipment that can’t just be brought home. Fortunately there are many hand held pH meters, refractometers and other measuring tools that are affordable and easy to obtain. The tools you select will be based on whatever it is you are formulating and if you are a consultant like me, you pretty much need one of everything including a pH meter, refractometer, a bostwick, water activity (Aw) unit, moisture and salt readers. You don’t have to have all of these items, just the ones that you need for R&D. If you are making beverages you won’t need an Aw unit or moisture analyzer, but you will need a pH meter and refractometer. If you are making brownies you may want to get a moisture analyzer (although one can use their oven and a scale for that as well).

Kitchen Tools

A stovetop, kitchen aid mixer, ice cream maker, a juicer, waffle maker, crepe maker, electric hot plates/burners, a soda water maker, a food saver bag sealer, a sous vide stick. You may have some of these items already but if you don’t, all available online. Sometimes all a food scientist needs is a kitchen tool to do the job, but other times those kitchen tools can be used creatively for other purposes- like using a sous vide stick in a plastic tub to create a pasteurization bath or a cheese grater for chocolate shavings, or using the soda machine to work on your sparking beverage project.

Basic Industrial Ingredients

These days you can get any food grade chemical online including citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, methylcellulose, most hydrocolloids, protein powders and more. Even unique items like freeze dried fruit powders, coconut oil plated on maltodextrin and natural flavorings can be bought online from the same suppliers that often sell directly to the manufacturers.

Disposables

You will need some disposables including things like tasting plates/cups (for your family to taste and give you feedback!), plastic disposable pipettes, plastic spoons, mason jars, lab towels, ice packs, shipping supplies, sticker labels, jars and sealable bags to send samples.

Tasters

Your family, maybe your neighbor if you can have them taste at a socially acceptable 6 feet distance, your kids. Try to get feedback close to home, it may be a bit biased but it can at least give you another point of view.

I know this list seems long and consultants have more stuff than other food scientists who work with just one or two types of products. If you think carefully about what you need, write it out, figure out a budget- then you too may be able to create the next great keto- muffin from home (hint: you can make it with almond meal, allulose, erythritol, stevia, and soluble fiber). Most of the food scientists out there who work for large companies can probably get the bulk of what they need from work but smaller companies may rely on the food scientist to be self-sufficient and set up their shop anywhere they can to keep innovation moving forward.