Careers in Deep Tech: How She Married Her Love For Food With Technology

Well, like most Singaporeans, I love food! This passion sparked my interest in the science behind the dishes we eat. After graduating with a double major in Life Science and Food Science from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2019, I trained at a culinary school before being introduced to alternative proteins during a food science internship with a cultivated meat company. My next big step was joining Next Gen Foods at the beginning of 2021. 

 
Claudia cooking Next Gen Food’s plant-based ”chicken” 

Food science takes the fundamentals of life science into the world of food, exploring its chemistry, agricultural production, the broader ecosystem, and the origin of ingredients we use. Food science also considers how ingredients are prepared, how they interact, and how they are processed and manufactured to feed everyone. 

This deep understanding of the synergy between life and food sciences forms the bedrock of my approach to food. What’s exciting about my current role is that I get to apply this understanding in my exploration of other related areas.  

For example, many plant-based proteins can’t replicate the flavour and texture of meat very well. This is where our knowledge of various sciences come in, where a good understanding of food chemistry helps tremendously in elevating the taste and texture of plant-based meat alternatives. 

To develop a new type of food, you must make food that people enjoy. Looking back, diving into the world of gastronomy straight out of university was an invaluable experience. As a culinary trainee with Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in 2019, I worked closely with chefs at three restaurants to learn first-hand exactly what they needed to perfect their dishes. 

It was fascinating seeing how chefs work their culinary magic to transform raw ingredients into flavourful, appetising dishes. Flavour, I firmly believe, is something that should never be compromised when creating food.  

At Next Gen Foods, my primary responsibilities are R&D and new product development. My scope is global too, as we’re developing products not just for Singapore and the rest of Asia, but also for other major markets including Europe and the United States. 

I’m involved in every stage of the R&D process, from benchtop product development to overseeing factory-scale trials, which allows me to pursue my love for experimentation and trying new things. Right now, we’re hyper-focused on perfecting our plant-based alternative to chicken. Known as TiNDLE, this product is already available to order in numerous Singapore restaurants.  

Starting next year, we plan to take things up a notch by going into full-scale production and exploring new technologies to create a more diverse range of alternative proteins. Further down the road, we want to explore creating additional plant-based foods that will help reduce our reliance on animal agriculture. 

Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! 

As with every new product that hits the market, education is key to changing people’s perspectives and mindsets. That is why Next Gen Foods offers one-on-one consultations with chefs to help them understand TiNDLE and explain how they can effectively incorporate it into the dishes they create in the kitchen. One of my responsibilities as a Food Technologist is fielding higher-level queries from chefs that require a greater depth of detail and guidance. 

I also think that more can be done to educate the public on the viability of plant-based proteins.  Thankfully, Next Gen Foods and other plant-based alternative producers are enjoying strong support from the Singapore government, which has taken a keen interest in the production of “novel foods.”  

Given everything that is happening, I’m confident that the industry will take root and flourish throughout Singapore.  

However, there is still a long way to go before plant-based proteins are made accessible and affordable for everyone, including reducing costs and scaling manufacturing.  

How vital is foodtech’s role in the future of the global food system? 

I believe that plant-based proteins are crucial to solving global food supply problems. The global food system is very interconnected, meaning that localised events in one location often affect others too.  

For example, the Ukraine crisis has had a global impact on the supply flows of key ingredients like vegetable oil. It is, therefore, essential to turn to alternatives like plant-based proteins, as they serve the crucial purpose of maintaining food security in times of uncertainty.  

Our industry is still relatively new, so there is little literature on the subject. While the knowledge gap in plant-based proteins may be a barrier to entry for many, the education system is starting to catch up fast with new modules and curriculums structured around the subject.  

In the meantime, be prepared to learn about its ins and outs while on the job. I attribute much of my expertise in plant-based proteins to Next Gen Foods’ CTO John Seegers, who taught me everything there is to know about the industry.  

I believe that soft skills matter just as much as hard technical skills. Creativity and adaptability are essential to thrive in food tech, given that things evolve and change quickly in this space. 

I'm still learning every day. And when I apply what I know to create a new product, it’s like a baby to me. I get so much satisfaction from watching it grow. That sense of ownership is unbeatable. 

We delve into how companies use emerging technologies to reshape other aspects of the food experience, including flavour development and nutrition, in our latest Insights Paper Flavourful Food: A Taste of Things to Come. Download the paper to learn more about the technologies driving the opportunities in this space.