Kimi Voteau ’20 developed a passion for food science at an early age. During her childhood, she watched her cooking shows and had her mother teach her how to make her food and snacks.
“I really started getting interested in the science behind food when I discovered Alton Brown’s show ‘Good Eats,'” Borto said. “I was fascinated by the way he explained so clearly the science behind what was happening during cooking, and I watched the show as often as I could.”
Voteau later became attracted to science at school, but the possibility of a career in food science didn’t initially cross her mind until her father pointed it out to her.
“As I looked into it, food science seemed like everything I wanted in a career, so I found this program and Texas A&M and joined right away,” she said.
Voteau as a college student
Boto was a modest, soft-spoken undergraduate in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Food Science and Technology, but her scientific curiosity and strong desire to learn about the food and flavor industry made her stand out. said Stephen Talcott. , Ph.D., professor of food chemistry in the same department.
“Kimi had an incredible curiosity about food and agriculture, along with exceptional leadership abilities,” Talcott said. “She has grown tremendously during her time at Texas A&M, and she has become even more confident in herself and her own abilities, making her a student leader and a top academic student.”
Mr. Votaw graduated in January 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in food science and technology with a focus in food microbiology.
Find the right food science engineer
In early 2020, Greg Berndt, CEO of ClearMask USA, a Mossy, Wash.-based food flavor and flavor masking company, was looking for a leader for the company’s research and development efforts. He asked Talcott for a proposal at the annual Food Technologist Suppliers Exhibition in Frisco, and Talcott recommended several strong candidates, one of whom was Vouteau.
“I come to Texas every year for the World’s Fair,” Berndt said. “This will give us the opportunity to interact with industry professionals and Texas A&M Food Science students.”
After a phone call and in-person meeting with Votaw, Berndt knew he had found the right person.
“Kimi was very smart and I knew she took the lessons she learned at Texas A&M to heart,” he said. “But just as importantly, we saw that she had the critical thinking skills and creativity that we felt were necessary to develop and build solutions for the food and beverage industry.”
Berndt said Boto also demonstrated the ability to apply technical lessons learned during his undergraduate years and demonstrated the personality traits and “soft skills” needed to effectively engage with colleagues and customers.
Applying food science lessons to your work
Votaw, who has been with ClearMask USA for nearly four years, uses the lessons he learned in food processing, chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and food development at Texas A&M to help food companies across the country solve critical taste and aroma challenges. It is working.
Looking back on her education, she said one of the most valuable lessons she learned in food science and technology at Texas A&M was the importance of experimentation.
“During lab time in class, we were encouraged to design and try out our own little experiments along the way,” she said. “There were ample opportunities for undergraduate research and extracurricular product development projects. We were always encouraged to think outside the box and try to create something. We had a lot of hands-on experience with creative thinking. This experience has made product development jobs much easier, especially jobs like mine that require a lot of problem solving.”
She acknowledged the influential role of lecturers such as Talcott, Dr Rebecca Creasy, Dr Matthew Taylor and Dr Peter Murano. Dr. Elsa Murano credits them as the most influential educators during her academic journey.
Votaw’s efforts at ClearMask USA
Votaw’s primary role at ClearMask USA has been Director of Research and Development and Director of Quality Assurance from the beginning.
On the research and development side, we analyze trends in the food industry to identify potential new products for the company. We research new ingredients and combinations and work on product development.
On the quality side, I am responsible for maintaining and creating all documentation for each product, including nutritional labels and specifications. She oversees the company’s food safety program, responds to customer inquiries, and reviews raw materials for product development.
“ClearMask USA primarily does flavor modification and flavor masking research,” Votaw said. “We’re looking for new compounds and ingredients that can help target specific ‘off-notes’ in foods. Our focus on flavor modifiers allows us to tailor solutions specifically for new functional ingredients for use in the food world. ”
Her previous projects have included strategies to mask the bitterness of coffee, enhance the sweetness of energy drinks, and mask the taste of collagen-based nutritional supplements.
Votaw’s latest research is changing the flavors of theacrine and ashwagandha. She is also working on creating sweetener blends with new high-intensity sweeteners that seamlessly balance flavors and provide a more natural sugar taste experience.
She said customers frequently submit products for improvement, which gives her the opportunity to experiment with ways to enhance the product.
“Because I have a wide range of responsibilities, I often get to work on exciting things that I have never done before, and it gives me the chance to keep learning,” she said. “I also love the opportunity to solve problems for customers.”
Ongoing collaboration with Texas A&M
Since joining Clear Mask USA, Mr. Boateau has returned to the Texas A&M campus several times to work with faculty and students in the School of Food Science and Technology. Together, they have helped solve taste and aroma problems not only for products already on the market, but also for newly developed food products that are not yet on store shelves.
Most recently, Talcott collaborated with Votaw and ClearMask USA to develop a calorie-free, antioxidant-fortified flavored water that was recently launched into the retail market.
“You’re a former student, but you’ve learned a tremendous amount of knowledge on your own while working in the food industry,” says Talcott. “Currently, I consider her a valuable resource and subject matter expert in flavor applications and flavor masking, including sweetness enhancement, bitterness reduction, and aftertaste concealment in foods.”
Talcott emphasized the unique benefits of Texas A&M’s food science and technology program. Texas A&M is actively working with many food companies across the United States and internationally.
“We have long-term relationships with ClearMask and many other companies that come to Texas A&M seeking food science technical talent,” Talcott said. “They value the hands-on training we provide and the depth and breadth of knowledge we pass on to our students.”
About the Food Science Department
Talcott said food science offers students like Boateau the opportunity to combine the scientific method with creativity.
He said this is a practical major that includes food chemistry, food bacteriology, product development techniques and real-world problem-solving skills. This ranges from understanding how products change through processing to deciphering the chemical reactions that occur within them.
“We teach the steps and procedures for inventing, creating, manufacturing and selling new foods for the marketplace,” Talcott said. “We also work to ensure the food industry provides safe products to consumers.”
Talcott said an estimated 25 percent of all jobs in the United States are food-related, and students studying food science and technology can find careers in a variety of related fields. These careers include quality control, quality assurance, product development, production supervision, raw material manufacturing, business development, procurement and management, he said.
“Every time you go to the grocery store, you’ll find that food scientists know everything about each product, from color, flavor, texture, packaging, quality, price, and expiration date to guaranteeing that the product is safe and nutritious. “You’ll see work done,” he said. “You can see the fruits of their innovation and hard work there.”