My story with food science and nutrition began with an unpleasant fact- a family history of diabetes. When I was in middle school, my mother and her siblings were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. As a result, they had many dietary restrictions so as to control their insulin levels. However, it was hard to execute these rules due to the special dietary habit in Xinjiang. From then on, I began to try my best to learn anything about the nutritional composition of food, and chemistry and biology became my favorite subjects in high school. Gradually, I realized the most advanced research achievements almost originated from the US, so studying abroad in the US would be the best option for me.
Therefore, I enrolled in Foothill College as the first station of my academic journey. I really appreciated Foothill because it provided many foundational courses in biology, chemistry, Contemporary Health Concerns, and Human Nutrition. These two-year experiences in Foothill helped me prepare for studying at a higher level. I was so lucky to be admitted by the University of California Davis, a leading institute in this field.
After accumulating and learning theoretical knowledge, I had a strong desire to participate in an actual project. In fall 2021, I grasped a chance to conduct undergraduate research, which is a cooperative program with California Olive Ranch. I conducted quality tests for extra virgin olive oils, including rancimat or induction time (IND), 1, 2-diacylglycerols (DAGs), and pyropheophytin (PPP), and these were individual works in group settings. Meanwhile, I was in charge of recording and analyzing the expected deterioration curves for the quality tests. It can be said I participated in the whole process of harvesting and extracting olive oil through abencor system. Actually, it was a hard job for us because we needed to spend almost twenty hours in the lab every week, and further works will occupy my winter holiday. However, I still enjoy this project profoundly and wish to have more chances in the future.
Although my undergraduate career is still in process, I have already decided on my future. I will pursue a Ph.D. program in food science and focus on milk substitutions. My hometown Xinjiang is the main producing area of dairy products, so I totally understand the limitation of this industry. When I visited the research division of Ripple and learned about their research on pea protein, it sparked my interest in it. I self-learned basic knowledge of plant-based non-dairy milk and read some literature on its social impact. I believe it will be an alternative option for humans, which means our plant can feed and afford more population. In the future, I expect to work in higher education or research institute and organize a team to work in this field. We must face the problems of the population and solve these issues from our profession, and it is the responsibility of my generation and me.
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