Claudia Gras completed her Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Biotechnology at the University of Hohenheim and stayed for her Master’s and doctorate. Today, she works in the area of research and development with Döhler, a manufacturer of technology-based, natural food additives.
Her Tips
Do a Master’s degree after your Bachelor’s. Especially if you want to get into research.
The food industry in Stuttgart is not very big, so you should be open to taking a position outside of Stuttgart.
Developer R&D Colours Döhler, Darmstadt
Studies at the University of Hohenheim 2007-2014
Food Science and Biotechnology B.Sc.
Food Science and Food Technology M.Sc. (today: Food Science and Engineering M.Sc.)
Job
What are typical activities for you in your job?
I work especially in the area of innovative products. I test out new technologies in the lab and check whether they can be used in finished food products. Right now, I’m working on the color area, concentrating on coloring or clouding agents. And when clients want to adapt a product’s recipe, that’s up to me. The variety and innovative work are what I like best. And that I can follow a product’s growth process.
When did you decide on your career?
I was interested in food science at an early stage in my studies and not so much in biotechnology. Food origins, chemistry, etc. were things that I found very interesting. After my Master’s, I stayed in Hohenheim to do my doctorate. That’s when I came into contact with Döhler, my current employer.
Studies
What were your studies like?
I specialized especially in plant-based foods and looked at spirit production, cereal technology, and fruit and vegetable technology, for example. Then I worked with the chemical analytics of individual food groups. Because I just didn’t feel experienced enough after my Bachelor’s, I did a Master’s program. And in my Master’s program I got much deeper insights into the food industry.
“I was interested in plant-based food.”
What about experiences outside of the classroom?
I did two internships, each for six months during my Master’s. One was with Ritter Sport in the raw product control. In that internship, when the products were delivered, I checked whether the raw products were suitable for processing. I did the other internship with the Schwartauer Werke. There I cooked jams and fruit spreads on a lab scale and was able to gain experience in how to optimize recipes.
What surprises and challenges were there during your studies?
My fellow students and I were the first to study the Bachelor’s in Food Science and Biotechnology at the University of Hohenheim. Everything went surprisingly smoothly. For me personally, starting the Master’s was challenging. While the Bachelor’s program kept relatively closely to the curriculum and felt like school, in the Master’s you had a lot of freedom to choose your courses - that meant you needed self-management skills but also that you can pursue your own interests.
What competences from your studies are important in your job today?
Especially the basics. The physical-chemical properties of foods and how you measure them. On the other hand, the knowledge about food production, the apparatuses you need for it, and how they function.
“The program prepares you very well for starting your career."
When I think back on my studies in Hohenheim, I think of...
... a varied and interesting study program. At the end, I was a well-educated food technologist and ready to start my career.
