Scope of Food Technology

Food technology is a branch of science in which the food science is applied in manufacturing and preservations of food products. The food technologists study the chemical, physical and microbiological makeup of the food. The food is processed, preserved, packaged and stored according to the specifications by industry and government. The research and development in food technology has resulted into the production of safe and nutritious foods. The food processing industries manufacture a large variety of food products. They include the primary foods like rice and wheat products, oil, sugar and pulses. They are processed to convert into edible form. Food technology courses can be a good career option. There is increasing scope of food technology courses in India.

Scope of food technology courses in India:

Today, several career options are available in India. One can opt for various food technology courses for a bright career. Food processing industry is rapidly growing in India and several employment opportunities are available in various industries. There is good scope of food technology courses which offer numerous job opportunities in various areas. One can get jobs in food processing industries, research laboratories, hotels, soft drink factories, quality control, rice mills, manufacturing industries and distilleries.

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, alcohol beverages, mineral and packaged water and segment of consumer foods is seeing an upward trend.

The Cabinet of India on June 21, 2007, granted its approval to an integrated plan, which aims to promote India's food processing sector and boost the country's agricultural business (according to a press release). As per the report there are about 300 Million upper and-middle-class consumers of processed and packaged food in the country, and another 200 Million are likely to be added by 2010. Ministry of Food Processing Industries is planning to establish 500 food parks in the Tenth Five Year Plan across every parliamentary constituency. This will give a further boost to the growth and development of food processing industries and thereby is generating a huge job potential for those who have an aptitude for the work and required qualifications. The food processing industry is still at its nascent stage in India. It thus provides ample employment opportunities.

The areas where one can find employment in this industry are:

• Food processing companies and food research laboratories
• Food wholesalers
• Hospitals
• Catering establishments
• Retailers
• Restaurants provide employment to candidates with degrees in home science and specializations in food technology, nutrition or food services management. Diploma holders in dietetics, applied nutrition, food science and preservation and those having certificate in dietetics or food and nutrition can also be employed in this industry.
• Bacteriologist, toxicologists and those trained in packaging technology, organic chemistry, biochemistry and analytical chemistry can find opening food technology laboratories or in quality control departments.
• A number of public sector undertakings in the department of food also require people in this field. The Food Corporation of India, which handles the purchase, storage transport and distribution of food grains and other food items, provide employment to large number of people. Modern Food Corporation which markets bread, fruit juices, edible oils, soft drink concentrates and North-Eastern Agricultural Marketing Corporation which markets and process fruits and vegetables also recruits people.
• Self-employment opportunities also exist in the form of dynamic delivery networks for those who want to work on their own.
• Private sector companies have been the key players in the food sector and even companies like ITC are now moving into the sector, seeing the potential in processed foods.

Some other back-end jobs in this industry are:

• Bakers
• Meat, poultry, trimmers, and fish cutters
• Slaughterers and meat packers
• Food batch makers
• Food cooking machine operators and tenders
• Food and tobacco roasting, baking and drying machine operators and tenders

The major players in private sector in this industry in India are:

• ITC Limited
• Parle Products Pvt. Ltd.
• Agro Tech Foods
• Amul
• Perfetti India Ltd.
• Cadbury India Ltd.
• PepsiCo India Holdings
• Nestle India Pvt. Ltd.
• Britannia Industries Ltd.
• Hindustan Lever Limited
• Milkfood
• MTR foods limited
• Godrej industries Limited
• Gits Food Products Pvt. Ltd.
• Dabur India Ltd.

Nature of Work

Food technologists, technicians, bio technologists and engineers are required in this industry for the practical application of the principles of many disciplines of science in the manufacturing or production, preservation and packaging, processing and canning of various food products. All this needs preparation of raw materials for processing which involves selection, or cleaning of the raw material, followed by the actual processing, which could be chopping, blanching, crushing, mixing or even cooking of the food item, the addition of preservatives and the final packaging along with keep in hygiene and maintaining quality of products.

Following people are needed for the work in food processing industry: 

• Food technologists: They are given the responsibility of determining whether a particular process is being performed in a certain specified way or not. They are instrumental in devising new ways and improving the older ones for preserving, conserving and processing food. They have to check for the contamination, adulteration and controlling the nutritional value of the food products which are to be processed. Food technologist are also assigned to determine to quality of the raw materials used in the plants aw well as the food which has to be dispatched to the market. They also look after the storage conditions and hygiene.