FEATURE
Snigdha Sewlikar FOOD SCIENTIST
Growing up in India with parents who were both doctors, Snigdha Sewlikar had always planned to follow in their footsteps. When she came across food engineering and technology in a college admissions brochure, however, she changed her mind. “As I thought about packaged food products, the science that makes them possible, and the impact they have on our day-to-day lives, I decided to pursue it as my field of study,” she says. “I joke that food is my favorite hobby. It’s true though – I don’t eat to live, I live to eat!” After studying food engineering and technology at the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai, India, Sewlikar got her first job as a quality assurance executive. “That experience furthered my passion for food science, and I obtained my master’s in food science from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville,” she recalls. Moving to Tennessee was a smart choice for a food scientist, as Collegedale is home to McKee Foods – the corporation behind the ever-popular Little Debbie brand. Sewlikar started working at McKee Foods in 2015, and seven years later, she is as passionate about food science as ever. In her current role as a product development manager, she manages a team that creates new products and brings them to the marketplace. “My work, of course, also involves frequently sampling new product prototypes – not such a bad part of the job!” Sewlikar laughs. For Sewlikar, however, innovation is the best part of the job. “People are surprised by the time and due diligence that goes into developing a new product that is delicious, safe, affordable, and convenient,” she says. Sewlikar works closely with her team to make this happen. “I am proud to be part of a team that works tirelessly to develop products that unwrap smiles,” she adds. While some may not realize the amount of work food scientists do behind the scenes, they certainly recognize the quality of the end products. Little Debbie, for instance, is well known for baking sweet treats that many people have enjoyed since childhood. “Our brands and products evoke nostalgia; it’s really fun to see people light up as they talk about their favorite Little Debbie snack. We bake, and the world smiles!” Sewlikar says. “This is what motivates me every day. It gives me immense satisfaction to see the results of our efforts on market shelves.” Photo by Kevin Spicer