I'm applying for primary/alternate, please see if there are any errors in grammar. Thanks in advance!
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) develops leaders committed to the improvement of life. Describe how your interest and related experiences have influenced your selection of major and how CALS will prepare you to be a leader in your chosen field.
Tartrazine, saccharin, BHT and sodium nitrate: typical ingredients you will find in foods in a stroll down any supermarket aisle. I have always pondered about the effects of such additives that are prevalent within food. One would think that the long-standing existence of such substances would validate their safety, yet, I remain doubtful due to the controversy and safety concerns of their usage.
Three years ago, while on a school-run food interest trip, I was enlightened to the significance of ingredients and nutrition in foods. One of the aspects of the trip was to differentiate between freshly squeezed fruit juice, and artificially flavored fruit drinks by scrutinizing the ingredients and nutritional labels as well as by taste testing. Upon inspection, there were several recurring additives, such as the coloring agent tartrazine. Later that day, a bolt of curiosity surged through me, and an impromptu internet search on tartrazine irrevocably changed the way I looked at food.
What I found shocked me. Web pages abounded with criticisms of the coloring agent, and testimonials pointed to the detrimental effects of consumption, ranging from allergic reactions to hyperactivity in children. Thus, I was compelled to probe further into the effects of other additives, not just coloring - fillers, preservatives, sweeteners, flavorings and so on, some of which were even claimed to be potentially carcinogenic. The more I read about the purported effects of these additives, the more concerned and dubious I became of processed foods. Before long, I had appealed to my parents to read the ingredient statements of processed foods to check for synthetic ingredients, later even going so far as to making a blacklist of ingredients to avoid!
Whether or not these substances are harmful is debatable, but the trip pushed me headfirst into the world of food science; without question, my inherent passion for food became intertwined with my newfound interest in food science. The impact of the trip was so profound that I moved away from processed foods and started purchasing natural, whole-grain and organic products. I started to read the nutrition labels and paid attention to the nutritional intake of foods. I began to advocate healthy eating.
The recent food scares, most notably, the melamine milk scandal, fueled my interest in food science. A food scare with the magnitude of the melamine scandal truly demonstrates the significance of food safety in global society. Seeing the victims' reactions to the scandal as well as my passion for food and nutrition made me aspire to take on a career in food science and to be at the forefront of food production and safety.
CALS would be the perfect school for me, because of its reputation, diversity and extensive alumni network, which would motivate me to be at my best, and present me with invaluable career opportunities. The rigor of the programs will challenge and stimulate me, giving me a wealth of knowledge on the subject. Above all, the world class research facilities will facilitate my goal of becoming an innovator in the field. Someday, I hope to improve the lives of others by ensuring the safety and nutrition of the food supply, and I believe attending CALS will help me achieve my goal.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) develops leaders committed to the improvement of life. Describe how your interest and related experiences have influenced your selection of major and how CALS will prepare you to be a leader in your chosen field.
Tartrazine, saccharin, BHT and sodium nitrate: typical ingredients you will find in foods in a stroll down any supermarket aisle. I have always pondered about the effects of such additives that are prevalent within food. One would think that the long-standing existence of such substances would validate their safety, yet, I remain doubtful due to the controversy and safety concerns of their usage.
Three years ago, while on a school-run food interest trip, I was enlightened to the significance of ingredients and nutrition in foods. One of the aspects of the trip was to differentiate between freshly squeezed fruit juice, and artificially flavored fruit drinks by scrutinizing the ingredients and nutritional labels as well as by taste testing. Upon inspection, there were several recurring additives, such as the coloring agent tartrazine. Later that day, a bolt of curiosity surged through me, and an impromptu internet search on tartrazine irrevocably changed the way I looked at food.
What I found shocked me. Web pages abounded with criticisms of the coloring agent, and testimonials pointed to the detrimental effects of consumption, ranging from allergic reactions to hyperactivity in children. Thus, I was compelled to probe further into the effects of other additives, not just coloring - fillers, preservatives, sweeteners, flavorings and so on, some of which were even claimed to be potentially carcinogenic. The more I read about the purported effects of these additives, the more concerned and dubious I became of processed foods. Before long, I had appealed to my parents to read the ingredient statements of processed foods to check for synthetic ingredients, later even going so far as to making a blacklist of ingredients to avoid!
Whether or not these substances are harmful is debatable, but the trip pushed me headfirst into the world of food science; without question, my inherent passion for food became intertwined with my newfound interest in food science. The impact of the trip was so profound that I moved away from processed foods and started purchasing natural, whole-grain and organic products. I started to read the nutrition labels and paid attention to the nutritional intake of foods. I began to advocate healthy eating.
The recent food scares, most notably, the melamine milk scandal, fueled my interest in food science. A food scare with the magnitude of the melamine scandal truly demonstrates the significance of food safety in global society. Seeing the victims' reactions to the scandal as well as my passion for food and nutrition made me aspire to take on a career in food science and to be at the forefront of food production and safety.
CALS would be the perfect school for me, because of its reputation, diversity and extensive alumni network, which would motivate me to be at my best, and present me with invaluable career opportunities. The rigor of the programs will challenge and stimulate me, giving me a wealth of knowledge on the subject. Above all, the world class research facilities will facilitate my goal of becoming an innovator in the field. Someday, I hope to improve the lives of others by ensuring the safety and nutrition of the food supply, and I believe attending CALS will help me achieve my goal.