Playing a part in the family business inspired food technologist Sabina Meah to follow a path to her dream career.
Working in the kitchens of her family’s Indian restaurant first taught Sabina Meah about the importance of food preparation.
It also inspired her current career as a food technologist with Carr’s Flour Mill in Cumbria.
“It was a local family business and over the years, it became well-loved by many,” Sabina says. “As I grew, I became more interested in food, the science behind it, the health benefits of many ingredients and how combining simple ingredients make great food.”
After studying biology, psychology and law at A-level, Sabina was faced with a choice of courses to fit with her ambition.
“I wanted to choose something that not only would enjoy and find interesting but also something that could apply to my daily life and better me as a person,” she says.
“My main goal was to come out of university with a degree and experience to help me land a job regardless of where I am. That’s why Food Science and Human Nutrition appealed so much to me. One thing all humans need as a basic necessity is food and water, and there are so many endless professional fields within which I hoped to be a part of. The degree involved all sorts of aspects of food; from dietetics and nutrition, to policy issues, chemistry and new product development.”
Sabina, 22, was forced to complete her dissertation at home due to Covid – but again, she used the time and experience to further her interest in all things food-related.
“I coped a lot through baking at home,” she recalls. “And through experimenting with different ingredients and techniques and doing research of the science behind baking, it slowly became an interest that would lead me to where I am now.”
Sabina works within the technical department, where her job varies from making sure the products meet Carr’s rigorous standards, to ensuring the processes comply with government regulations.
She also plays a part in new product development in the baking sector, which involves being creative, trialling different recipes, techniques, and generating new product ideas as well as testing and further improving our current recipes.
“I didn't realise how much you can learn within a flour milling industry,” she says. “As well as that, I have been able to show my creative side through baking, creating new recipe ideas, practicing my techniques and digging deeper in the bakery industry.”
