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- Tasks: Help optimise delicious protein bar recipes while keeping taste and texture intact.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking food company focused on health and innovation.
- Benefits: Flexible hours, creative freedom, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Why this job: Be part of a project that combines science with tasty snacks and healthy living.
- Qualifications: Experience in product development and food engineering is essential.
- Other info: Work in a dynamic environment with opportunities for growth and creativity.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We have 3 delicious functional collagen protein bar recipes that our test audience loves. However, they currently exceed our target nutritional profiles. We need an experienced food scientist to help us reformulate these recipes to meet specific macro targets while preserving the taste and texture that makes them special.
Important: We plan to scale these recipes to commercial production with a co-packer. While this project focuses on recipe optimization, please keep scalability and commercial production in mind when suggesting ingredients and processes.
The Challenge - we have working recipes that taste amazing, but we need to:
- Reduce calories from to 200 kcal
- Reduce sugar from ~12-15g to 8-10g (maintaining 0g added sugar)
- Reduce saturated fat from ~6-7g to less than 4g
- Add a chocolate coating (3-6g) without exceeding calorie targets
- Achieve 6-month shelf life at room temperature when manufactured at scale
- Keep the same great taste and chewy texture our testers love
Our Philosophy on Ingredients:
- We are OPEN to exploring different ingredients that help us hit nutritional targets while maintaining taste
- We prioritise natural, clean-label ingredients
- We want to minimise harmful additives
- Ingredients must be scalable for commercial production (available in bulk, consistent quality)
- We avoid artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols (no erythritol, sucralose, aspartame, etc.)
- No fake sugars or heavily processed additives
- We are flexible and creative - if there’s a natural ingredient we haven’t considered that solves our problems, we want to hear about it
What We Need From You:
Primary Deliverables:
- Optimised formulations for 3 recipes that:
- Hit all nutritional targets
- Maintain the great taste and chewy texture we currently have
- Include dark chocolate coating
- Use natural, clean-label ingredients
- Are cost-effective and scalable for commercial production
- Use ingredients readily available in bulk quantities
Ingredient substitution strategy:
- What to replace and why (e.g., reduce dates, swap coconut oil for X)
- Exact gram amounts per ingredient per bar
- Explanation of how substitutions affect taste/texture
- Natural ingredient alternatives (we’re open to new ingredients)
- Commercial availability notes (suppliers, bulk pricing considerations)
- Alternative options if first approach doesn’t work
Shelf life & stability optimisation (6-month target):
- Water activity recommendations and target ranges
- Natural preservative recommendations (if needed)
- Packaging requirements (vacuum seal, nitrogen flush, etc.)
- Storage conditions for 6-month shelf life
- Expected shelf life with your formulations
- Testing protocols to verify stability
Complete documentation for each recipe:
- Detailed ingredient list with exact weights
- Full nutritional breakdown
- Step-by-step preparation instructions
- Mixing order and techniques for optimal chewy texture
- Chocolate coating application method
- Notes on scalability considerations
- Troubleshooting guide
Secondary Deliverables:
- Ingredient sourcing recommendations (specific brands/suppliers for both small-batch and bulk)
- Cost comparison (current vs. optimised recipes)
- Basic scaling notes (what to watch for when going from 1 bar to 100+ bars)
- Packaging recommendations for 6-month shelf life
Contract duration of 1 to 3 months, with 30 hours per week.
Mandatory skills: Product Development, Product Formulation, Food Engineering, Chemistry, Product Design.
Food Scientist Needed: Optimize 3 Protein Bar Recipes employer: FreelanceJobs
Contact Detail:
FreelanceJobs Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Food Scientist Needed: Optimize 3 Protein Bar Recipes
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the food science industry! Attend events, join online forums, or even hit up LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Show Off Your Skills
When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to highlight your experience with product development and formulation. Share specific examples of how you've tackled challenges in the past, especially if they relate to optimising recipes or working with clean-label ingredients.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Trends
Stay updated on the latest trends in food science and nutrition. Be prepared to discuss how these trends can influence recipe optimisation and scalability. This shows you're not just knowledgeable but also passionate about the field!
✨Apply Through Our Website
Don’t forget to check out our website for job openings! Applying directly through us not only makes it easier for you but also shows your enthusiasm for being part of the StudySmarter team. We’re excited to see what you bring to the table!
We think you need these skills to ace Food Scientist Needed: Optimize 3 Protein Bar Recipes
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Expertise: Make sure to highlight your experience in food science and product development. We want to see how you've tackled similar challenges before, especially when it comes to optimising recipes while keeping taste and texture in mind.
Be Specific About Your Approach: When discussing your strategies for ingredient substitutions and achieving nutritional targets, be as detailed as possible. We love creativity, so don't hesitate to suggest natural ingredients that could help us hit our goals!
Keep Scalability in Mind: Since we're looking to scale these recipes for commercial production, mention any experience you have with bulk ingredient sourcing and production processes. This will show us you're thinking ahead!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves!
How to prepare for a job interview at FreelanceJobs
✨Know Your Ingredients
Familiarise yourself with natural, clean-label ingredients that can help meet the nutritional targets. Be ready to discuss specific alternatives and their benefits, especially those that maintain taste and texture while being scalable for commercial production.
✨Understand the Challenge
Make sure you fully grasp the project requirements, including the need to reduce calories, sugar, and saturated fat. Prepare to explain how your proposed changes will not only meet these targets but also preserve the deliciousness of the bars.
✨Showcase Your Creativity
Be prepared to share innovative ideas for ingredient substitutions and formulations. Highlight any unique natural ingredients you’ve worked with before that could solve the challenges presented, demonstrating your flexibility and creativity.
✨Discuss Scalability
Since the recipes will be scaled for commercial production, come equipped with insights on sourcing ingredients in bulk and maintaining quality. Discuss your experience with packaging and shelf life optimisation to show you understand the full production process.
