How to Become a Food Technologist

About Food Technologist

The food sector in India is expanding rapidly, creating numerous job opportunities for food technologists. For students interested in a career in food technology, there are various food technology courses available in India at the undergraduate, postgraduate, doctorate, and diploma levels. BTech in Food Technology, BSc Food Technology, MTech in Food Technology, MSc Food Technology, and other popular food technology courses in India. Food Technologists are generally concerned with the biological, chemical, and physical composition of all foods used in processing. Students in food technology courses study the content of food using a variety of methods. They use the data to create new food products or to improve the value, packaging, manufacturing, and selection of existing food products. Furthermore, food technologists evaluate methods used in food production facilities and ensure that food safety standards are met in accordance with consumer/client requirements. Food technologists may also be responsible for discovering new food sources, testing for contaminants or harmful additives, and so on!

Roles and Responsibilities of a Food Technologist 

A good food technologists is expected to adhere to the following rules and regulations:

• Generating Fresh Recipe and Product Ideas
• Adapting and Enhancing Current Recipes
• Designing Procedures and Equipment for the Mass Production of Recipes
• Coordinating with the Marketing Team
• Ensuring that Strict Hygiene Standards are met
• Selecting Products from Suppliers
• Keeping an Eye on the use of Additives, Testing and Analysing Samples, and Writing Reports
  

Eligibility to become Food Technologist

• Candidates should have passed 10+2 from a recognised institution with PCMB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics) as major subjects

• Basic eligibility requirement is to have a minimum of 45% marks in 10+2 or equivalent (relaxation rules apply for different categories and varies from college to college)

• For admission in BTech or Diploma in Food Technology, candidates need to have a passing certificate of 10+2 or equivalent from a recognised institution

• For aspirants of MSc in Food Technology, a bachelor degree certificate from a recognised institution is a mandatory document with a minimum aggregate of 50%

• A valid scorecard of an entrance exam (if applicable) may be required

Courses for a Career in Food Technology

Those who want to work in food technology and help the industry grow should enroll in a Food Technology course at a reputable college or institute. Food Technology courses are available at the diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels in India. In India, hundreds of colleges/institutions offer food technology programmes, the majority of which are UG-level programmes such as Btech in Food Technology and BSc in Food Technology.

Polytechnic Diploma Course (1 - 3 years)

• Food Analysis and Quality Assurance Diploma Program
• Certificate in Food Science and Technology
• Graduate degree in Food Science, Preservation, and Management

UG-level programmes (3 to 4 years)

• Food Technology Bachelor of Science (BSc)
• Food Science Bachelor of Science (BSc)
• Food and Nutrition Bachelor of Science (BSc)
• Food Preservation Bachelor of Science (BSc)
• Food Engineering Bachelor of Technology (BTech)

PG-level programmes (2 years)

• Food Science Master of Science (MSc)
• Graduate degree in food technology (MSc)
• Food and Fermentation Technology and Food Science Master of Science (MSc)
• Graduate degree in food and nutrition (MSc)
• Food Technology Master of Technology (MTech)

In addition to the course mentioned above, India offers a number of certificate programmes in food technology.

Food Technology Careers: Specialisations

The following are the areas of expertise in food technology:

• Alcohol
• Baked Goods and Sweets
• Cereal Food
• Veggies and Fruits
• Processing of Meat, Fish, and Oilseeds.
• Sugar

Types of Job Roles Food Technologist

After studying Food Technology from a reputed and recognised institution, candidates can find a number of jobs related to the course. The food technologist job profiles can be further divided depending on the type of roles and responsibilities. Some of the top job profiles for food technologists are mentioned below:

• Food Technologist: A food technologist is the one who determines the safety, claimed quality and legalities associated with a food product. A direct involvement can be in the manufacturing unit of a food product or in the developing recipes of food and beverage items.

• Quality Manager: Responsibilities of a quality manager is to maintain the standards keeping the legalities in mind. Most importantly quality managers are responsible for managing internal and external requirements both in terms of food and customer satisfaction/expectations.

• Nutritional Therapist: Commonly known as nutritionists, these are prescribed professionals who deal with the foods and food habits of the patients in order to prevent illness and diseases. They mostly work in close contact with the general physicians and hospitals.

• Regulatory Affairs Officer: These are the ones who look after marketing, licensing and legal compliance of medical and other pharmaceutical products of food agencies and other related agencies.

• Product/Process Development Scientist: These professionals are hired by different food companies to control and understand the different processes and stages used for the final output of the products.

• Technical Brewer: Considered as an interesting and attractive job profile, the role of a technical brewer is to take up the responsibility of brewing, packaging and marketing beer for a restaurant or a beer factory.

• Food Blogger/Vlogger: One of the newest and most famous job profiles is that of a food blogger or vlogger. These are people who spend time overeating to inspire and inform everyone about the variety of dishes available across the globe. A blogger writes and a vlogger shoots the making of food items and the same being enjoyed by consumers.

• Chefs: Chefs are the ones who cook delicacies keeping in mind the number of ingredients. Innovation and healthy ideas are a new trend followed by the chefs of the present scenario.

Skills Required for a Career in Food Technology

Candidates who complete or study in a certificate, diploma, or degree programme related to food technology have an advantage over those who rely solely on their skills. Students pursuing a course in food technology must develop the skills required by the industry. To pursue a successful career in the field of food technology, the following skills must be acquired:

• Outstanding written and oral communication abilities
• Meticulous attention to detail, particularly in terms of food hygiene and safety
• Excellent analytical and numerical abilities
• Excellent teamwork abilities
• Confidence
• The ability to work on one's own

Employment Sector/Industry for Food Technologist

Employment opportunities for food technologists can be found in:

• Food Safety Manufacturing Units

• Food and Beverage Departments

• Storage Units

• Research Units

• Food Processing and Production Organisations

• Laboratories

• Quality Assurance Units

• Food Business Management

• Food Marketing

• Processing and Distributing Units

Top Recruiting Companies for Food Technologists

There are a number of recruiting companies for food technologists in India. The role and designation of the food technologists depend on the educational qualifications and experience they have. Companies hire them for various post and profiles mentioned above. Let’s now take a look at the leading recruiting companies for food technologists:

• National Agriculture Food Analysis Research Centre

• Nestle

• GlaxoSmith Con

• SoulFit Nutrition

• Britannia

• Kwality

• Varun Beverages

• Hatsun Agro

• Heritage Foods

• Vadilal Ind

Pay Scale/Salary of Food Technologist

A food technologist’s salary depends upon the type of task he/she performs. The salary of a food technologist also depends on the organisation he/she works with. Mentioned-below is the pay scale for different job profiles of food technologist.

Note: The above figures are an estimate and may vary from individual to individual and organisation to organisation.

Books & Study Material to Become Food Technologist

Candidates planning to take admission in any of the food technology courses may be required to take entrance exams if applicable. There are various books and other study material available in the market that can help candidates prepare for such exams. 

1. Food Preservation Process Design By Dennis Held man
2. Introduction to Food Toxicology By Takayuki Shibamoto, Leonard Bjeldanes
3. Thermo bacteriology in Food Processing By C. Stumbo
4. Food Process Engineering and Technology by Zeki Berk
5. Foodborne Infections and Intoxications by J. Glenn Morris, Morris Potter
6. Starch: Chemistry and Technology by Roy Whistler, James Be Miller,
7. Microwaves in the Food Processing Industry by Bernard Schweigert, Richard Mudgett, Robert Decareau
8. Statistical Methods in Food and Consumer Research by John Hawthorn, George Stewart, Bernard Schweigert
9. The Chemistry and Technology of Pectin by Steve Taylor, Reginald Walter
10. Practical Design, Construction, and Operation of Food Facilities By J. Peter Clark

Pros of becoming a Food Technologist

• A food technologist gets to know and learn about a variety of cuisines that makes this profession to be an interesting one.

• Food technologists get to modify and create new food products.

• Being a food technologist, one has the privilege to check, accept and reject the food items that may or may not suit the various manufacturing and processing parameters.

• Building a relationship between the customer and supplier, in a way improves the communication skills and makes a person extrovert.

• Involves a lot of Totravelling -- both national and international.

Cons of becoming a Food Technologist

• A lot of hard work is required with no fixed hours and tremendous work pressure.

• Requires one to travel a lot, which could be exhausting.

• Food technologists need to be very careful about the task allotted to them as anything wrong can put human lives at risk.

Career path for Food Technologist

Becoming a food technologist is a call that you must take right after class 12th. While preparing for Class 12 boards, you can prepare for entrance exams conducted by some of the top institutes in the country for admission to their courses in food technology.