UMA PARASAR

FOOD CHEMIST

- by Peg Lopata

Do you ever wonder what makes some packaged foods and drinks taste great? Well, a chemist such as Uma Parasar might be the one to thank. Parasar is the director of Flavor, Strategy, and Innovation at International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc. (IFF) in New Jersey. You can taste flavors her lab has created in all kinds of things—juices, yogurts, dietary supplements, potato chips, candy, and chocolate. As a toxicologist, Parasar is responsible for making sure the flavors her company makes are safe to eat and drink.

WHY DO YOU LIKE CHEMISTRY?

We humans are made up of chemicals and so is the natural world, as well as the materials-based world. Embracing chemistry helps us appreciate our amazing world and not fear it.

I wanted to be a chemist to solve problems. My specialty, toxicology, helps create a safe world. Arguably, toxicology is the oldest scientific discipline, as the earliest humans had to recognize which plants were safe to eat.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE FOOD CHEMICALS?

Yes, vanillin. It's the chemical responsible for the scent in vanilla—and one of the most widely used flavor in foods, including ice cream, pudding, and cookies.