Development of the Food Microscopist

This paper describes the processes through which the food microscopist develops his/her skills. It is based around a framework of Shakespeare's seven ages of man . The first stage is learning about equipment: how it works and how not to abuse it. Next, attention turns to how to prepare samples for examination whilst maintaining the validity of the observations and avoiding damage to the instrument. The "Lover" is the time at which an understanding of the basic structures of food products is gained and the ~ So ldi er " starts to interpret these structures in terms of the performance of the foodstuff. Next, the interpretation must be negotiated with food technologists in order to influence the processes of manufacture. The sixth age sees a more managerial overview of food microscopy. The final challenge is to avoid the near oblivion of Shakespeare 's last scene of all!