Yes, 'Frozen Food Taster' Is An Actual Profession
We've all heard about some pretty odd jobs out there. None may quite compare, however, to being a "sensory panelist" for a frozen foods company. A recent Billfold interview with a 24-year old freelance illustrator – who took on the role part time – shined a light on an occupation involving a lengthy application process that included tasting "mystery liquids" in a hallway-shaped room with special sensory lights that show the full spectrum of the rainbow.
It turns out there's much more to frozen food than a mushy interior and a fried casing. After completion of training, the evaluators are trained to rate products numerically on a "trade-secret flavor intensity scale," with oil on one end of the spectrum and a strong fruit juice on the other. All this — and $4,200 for eight months of part-time work — for a job that results in mouth blisters from overexposure to salt and a "communal hell...with a summer camp vibe." Not to mention, a lack of desire to ever again consume fried foods. Not exactly taste testing ice cream here. Yeah, we're hard-pressed to think of a less rewarding way to spend time too.
By now you might be craving fries? Maybe? Try out these recipes on Food Republic: