Career in Food Technology - Courses, Colleges & Job Prospects

Food technology, one of the upcoming fields of science and technology, is a branch of food science that deals with the numerous production processes through which food is prepared.

Food processing, a part of the field, is one of the modern practices that enhances marketing and improves the distributional efficiency of the food products. Food processing is a branch of food science and it means transforming of raw ingredients into food by using various methods and techniques.

The concept of food processing existed during the pre-historic period. However, due to the development of technology, the preservation of food, flavour and others have been enhanced. The development of technology also resulted in regulating the toxins in food products and brought a revolution in the entire food processing industry.

Some people think that food processing does not need an educational qualification and one can get jobs easily if he/she is good at cooking delicious food. However, the assumption is wrong as a certificate/ diploma or degree in food processing add value to the curriculum vitae.

Educational Qualification Required for a Career in Food Technology: -

• The preliminary step to get into the field of food processing is a pass in 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as the subjects of study.
• This is the minimum qualification required to take up a degree course in food processing like B.Sc Food Technology.
• Most of the colleges conduct entrance examination for the courses related to food processing.

Courses Offered in Food Technology: -

• B.Sc Home Science
• B.Sc Food Technology
• B.Tech in Food Technology
• B.Tech in Food Process Engineering
• M.Tech in Food Technology
• Various specialisations, diploma and certificate courses

Career Prospects of Food Technology: -

There are extensive career opportunities in food processing. One needs to understand that it is in developing stage and more jobs are expected to be created in the coming years. The food processing industry will require trained professionals as there are around 500 million upper and middle-class consumers in the country with a rising demand for processed goods.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries has plans to set up more than 500 food parks across the country and in each parliamentary constituency. Therefore, there will be a food revolution in the coming years and more employment opportunities are expected to be generated.

The students who complete a course in food processing will have a chance to be placed in the following roles: -

• Home Economists
• Analytical Chemists
• Biochemists
• Organic Chemists
• Engineers
• Food Technologists
• Research Scientists

The candidates will be placed in the above-mentioned roles as per their qualification and experience.

Top Companies Recruiting Graduates and Post Graduates in Food Technology & Processing: -

• Gits Food Products Pvt. Ltd.
• MTR Foods Limited
• Milkfood
• Hindustan Unilever Limited
• Cadbury India
• Agro Tech Foods
• Parle Products Pvt. Ltd.
• ITC Limited
• Britannia Industries Ltd.
• Nestle India
• Dabur India
• Amul

Institutes in India Offering Courses in Food Technology & Processing: -

• Department of Food Process Engineering, SRM University
• Guru Nanak Dev University, Rohtak
• MIT College of Food Technology, Pune
• Doon Valley Institute of Engineering and Technology, Karnal (Haryana)
• Rajasthan Technical University, Kota
• Delhi University
• Siddhartha Institute of Hotel Management, Vijayawada
• KK Wagh College of Food Technology, Nashik
• K.S.R. College of Technology, Trichy
• National Institute of Technology, Rourkela

All the best!