Cereal chemists study the properties of cereal grains and the reactions
they undergo. Cereal grains include wheat, millet, barley, oats, rye, rice
and corn. These grains are a major source of food for humans and animals.
According to information posted on the American Association for Cereal
Chemists' (AACC) website, cereal chemists work in a variety of areas. Some
are researchers. Some teach at colleges and universities. Some work for government.
Some work for food companies and are involved with food preparation. Those
working for food companies (pasta, bread, flour milling, baking, malting)
could be involved in product development. Or they might ensure that the quality
is good.
Universities, governmental agencies, private research institutions, cereal
processing industries and suppliers to the cereal-processing industry employ
cereal chemists.
Finlay MacRitchie serves on a number of AACC committees. He says that there
are approximately 4,000 members worldwide. "The majority are from North America."
"It would be a challenge for a person with a physical disability to do
this work," says Kevin Swallow. He is a cereal chemist. "But it would not
be an insurmountable obstacle."
From time to time, Swallow works with equipment. He sometimes climbs on
top of equipment to make adjustments. This could be a limiting factor, but
he believes that a person with a disability could work on the scientific level.
Swallow doesn't know for sure whether people with a visual impairment could
do this work. "If you can do computer work and are reasonably intelligent,
you could probably teach or do some work on the scientific level." Work involving
the technical aspects could be more difficult.