How Is Food Technology As A Career ?

For a very long time, humans struggled to find effective techniques for preservation of food without ruining the quality of it.

Preservation techniques currently used are the result of continuous efforts of a lot of scientists, researchers, engineers, food technicians, and nutritionists.

We have come a long way from sun-drying salting and fermentation, where the flavor and texture change and the food becomes devoid of nutritional value. The valuable contributions of people like Nicholas Appert, who introduced Appreciation and Louis Pasteur who introduced pasteurization played a major role in the evolution of food technology.

What is Food Technology

Have you ever wondered what is so special about the pickles and drinks that come in packets and bottles? What makes them different? Why do they have a much longer shelf life than homemade products?

The people who work this magic are food technicians. It's their hands that work behind the innovative food items that we consume on a daily basis.

Application of food, science is called food technology. It's an umbrella term that consists of Dairy technology, Cereals and Pulses technology, The science of meat processing, Spice technology, Vegetable and Fruits technology, Food engineering, and many more.

In food technology, the knowledge of science is used to improve technical aspects of the food industry. This starts from studying the chemical and nutritional composition of food to handling food, storing food, processing, packaging, labeling, ensuring the nutritional quality of the food is maintained, developing new methods to increase shelf life, and making sure that the final product is safe and consumable.

Food technology is involved in everything from production to delivering the food item to the consumer. This production process may be simple or complex and varies according to the food item.

Scope for food technology

In this busy world the demand for easy to cook foods like Maggi and ready to cook foods like instant noodles is exponentially growing so the demand for more food technicians will also grow without obstructions in the future.

Eligibility

Any students who have finished formal education up to 12th from any nationally the recognized board can apply for Bachelor of Science or B.Tech programmes.

However, individuals with a passion for the profession and are ready to do constant hard work is more inclined to succeed in the industry.

To apply for the M.Sc. programmes either a bachelor's degree in food science or bachelors in food technology is required.

For admission to M. Tech programmes the applicant must have passed the GATE exam with the minimum marks specified by the institution.

Admission process

For B.Sc. direct admission process is usually opted by universities but for esteemed universities that are well-known for the specialty, entrance tests are held.

MSc admissions are usually based on B.Sc. scores. For M.Tech universities consider the applicants score in the GATE exam.

Courses

If you are interested in the science of food and spoilage detection, you can either opt for B.Sc. Food technology or B.Sc. Food science.

If you are more interested in designing machines that increase shelf life and testing the quality of packing material then B.Tech is the course for you. B.Tech Agricultural and Food Management and B.Tech Food Process Engineering are courses you can choose from.

For Master, you can either go for Man Sc, MTech, or MBA.

In India, post-graduate programs available in the field of food technology are MSc food technology, MSc Foods, nutrition and dietetics, Integrated Ph.D. program (nutritional biology), MTech food technology and management, MTech food safety and quality management, MTech food process engineering, and MBA in the food business management.

You can also go for a PG diploma from an open university in food safety and quality management.

Duration of courses

The B.Sc. courses have a duration of 3 years while B.Tech courses take 4 years to complete.

Both M.Sc. and MTech are 2-year courses. The PG diploma students can take 1 year to 4 years for completion of course.

Course Fee

 

Course fee for B.Sc. in food technology or food science may vary from 20,000 to 60,000. Btech fee range from 60,000 up to 7lakh depending on the Institute.

For both MSc and MTech, the fee range is 50000 to 3 lakhs and for an open university PG diploma, the fee is around 14,500.

 

 

Institutes

 

Netherland's University of Wageningen, Jiangnan University, China agricultural university is first, second and third in the ranking of universities in terms of food technology globally.

In India institutes like the All India Institute of hygiene and public health, BHU, Lady Irwin College, University of Allahabad and J. D Birla Institute are all preferred by students trying to land a career in food technology.

 

 

Jobs and Salary

Studying Food technology can lead to a variety of jobs like a food technologist, nutritional therapist, quality manager, technical brewer, chef, or even food blogger.

You are eligible for a government job as a scientist at BIS (Bureau of Indian standards) if you have more than 60% in B.Sc. and have a good GATE score. The salary for this post is around 85,000.BIS also hires technical assistants for which also the students fulfilling the above criteria are eligible.

Food safety officer is another post food technology pass-outs can apply for. It is an administrative post under the department of food and safety. Salary may be different for this post, the scale of pay varies from 27,800 to 59,400.

Food safety and Standard Authority of India is another governmental institution that has multiple vacancies for individuals with food technology backgrounds at different pay levels. The National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection also provides opportunities for food technology graduates and postgraduates.

Food technologists, Nutritional therapists, Regulatory affairs officers, product development scientists, and Quality managers are all jobs available in the private sector.

Though, many consider studying and pursuing a career in food technology as a tedious task, as it requires complete dedication and takes years of education before you could reach your dream position, the job opportunities it provides

Can't be ignored. Besides the diversity in the work the environment that comes with the job makes all those years of hard work in university worth it

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