How I Got Into Food Science: A Student’s Journey from Nutrition to UBC

Last Updated on April 30, 2026

I am about to take you on my journey of coming into food science.

My name is Ayomide, but most of my friends call me Ayo (this means joy in the Yoruba language), and indeed, I have been soaring through food science joyfully. I am currently pursuing the Master of Food Science (MFS) program at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in the beautiful city of Vancouver. 

Looking back now, studying food science feels like a natural flow from my undergrad background in nutrition and dietetics. But like any good story, it started with a mix of curiosity and readiness to explore beyond what I am used to. My undergraduate studies in nutrition and dietetics opened my eyes to the health impacts of the foods we eat. Our goal in dietetics is to use diet to treat and manage different health conditions, and I have some years of experience in hospitals in this regard.  

Ayo suited up in his PPE

Beyond clinical experience, in 2021, I was selected for a summer internship at Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, where I worked in the Quality Control/Quality Assurance Department. This experience made me see food beyond the nutrient content and made me curious about the complex industrial activities to ensure food safety. My curiosity about food processing and food safety started building up. Nutrition gave me the health view of food, but I also want to know the behind-the-scenes story of the foods we consume. 

Transitioning to food science felt like connecting the dots and learning more about food pathogens, contaminants and preservation techniques. And this is very important because no matter how nutrient-dense a food is, if it is unsafe, the food is good for nothing and can even cause harm.

Another major motivation is my startup, Foodimetric, an AI-driven food app that is tailored for African foods, that makes users to explore the information about these foods. I believe that studying food science will expand my horizon about the dynamics of food and ultimately contribute to the growth of Foodimetric. 

Screenshot of Foodimetric online food search tool

To be honest, it has been an exciting ride so far. We are not just taking lectures, we are also exploring practical experiences that make it easy to understand and apply acquired knowledge. Developing an HACCP plan was one of the interesting activities last term, as well as learning about food laws and regulations and formulating a yogurt drink with a coronary heart disease risk reduction health claim by incorporating plant sterols. Then there is food processing (thermal processing, freezing, thawing, psychrometry and packing), food microbiology (foodborne illness outbreaks, detection and control), toxicology (toxins detection, occurrence, properties, effects and regulations), sustainability (food system, ecology and regenerative agriculture), and sensory science (late nights crunching of data in MINITAB). 

It has been a great experience, and I can’t wait to gain more industry experience where I can grow further while I contribute to the growth of the organization as well. If you’re in food science, share your story in the comment section. I would also love to connect with you.   

About the author: Ayomide is a Master of Food Science (MFS) student at the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a background in nutrition and dietetics (Diploma and BSc). His passion lies in food regulation (especially food labels), safety, processing and research. Outside of food science, he loves reading and talking about historical events and documentaries.