Careers Prospects

The Career : Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food for the consumption of humans and animals. Processing of food leads to preservation of food, enhances its flavour and reduces the toxins in the food product. It leads to better distributional efficiency and helps in the easy marketing of the food product. Extra nutrients can also be added while processing the food and processed food is less susceptible to spoilage. The rising consumerism in the societies of developed and developing countries has contributed to the growth of food processing with techniques such as spray drying, juice concentrates, freeze drying and the introduction of artificial sweeteners, colorants, and preservatives.
In India, Food Processing industry is gaining momentum as the consumer food industry which includes pasta, breads, cakes, pastries, corn flakes, ready to eat and ready to cook products, cocoa products, biscuits, soft drinks, beer, alcoholic beverages, mineral and packaged water and segment of consumer foods, is seeing an upward trend With growing consumerism and fast paced life, the concept of packed but hygienic food is picking up. The field of food technology is to cater to the needs of the public and food related materials in a neat ,hygienic, long standing form. This is the field today with maximum boom and growth. After a course in Food Technology, there are a number of job
 

Prospects in the following areas: The food processing companies, which cater to manufacturing the right quality of food products, and the packaging companies, which deal with the manner in which the product must be packaged for preservation. Research laboratories evaluate and analyze the food ingredients present in the products. Public sector undertakings in the departments of food also recruit people in this field. Nature of Work: The work performed in the food processing industry involves the practical applications of the principles of chemistry, physics, biology, microbiology, biotechnology, engineering and other disciplines of science for preservation, processing and handling of food materials. A food technologist has to be particular about cleanliness and hygiene and should be prudent ,conscientious and meticulous. A variety of career opportunities are available for a Food Technology graduate. Popular professions range from Food & Water related industries to Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Biomedical, Research, Health, & Hospitality Industries in India as well as abroad. The following are examples of such professions.          Food Safety Officer ·        New Food Product Developer ·        Research Scientist ·        Food Manufacturing Operations Mgr. ·        Quality Assurance Manager ·        Flavor Technologist ·        Regulatory Inspector ·        Food Packaging Specialist ·        Processing Engineer ·        HACCP Auditor, etc. Job Opportunities Huge scope abroad : As compared to our country, there is a much greater emphasis on food processing in developed countries. In fact our country processes only 6% of its agricultural yield which is negligible as compared to developed countries. But in those countries, there is a shortage of good food technologists. Our food science graduates are thus instantly absorbed there on maximum pay packages.   In India: India's food processing sector boosts the country's agricultural business. It is estimated that there are about 300 Million upper and-middle-class consumers of processed and packaged food in the country, and another 250 Million are likely to be added by 2015. Ministry of Food Processing Industries is planning to establish 500 food parks in the Tenth Five Year Plan. There is an emphasis by the government to increase the percentage of food processing, thereby opening a barrage of jobs to emerging food technologists, both in government departments & in the private sector. In fact it is said that it is virtually impossible to find an unemployed food technologist   Self Employment: The government is providing a huge facility for self employment & setting up Food Processing Units both on large & small scale, in the form of subsidies, loans, & other government assistance..