Introduction of Food Processing
Food processing is a recent practice that enhance distributional efficiency and improve the marketing of the food items. It is considered as a stream of food science, where a set of process and techniques are used to convert raw ingredients into food for safe consumption by animals or humans. Though food processing existed at the time of prehistoric period, the technology input to develop preservation of food, flavour, etc and to decrease the toxins in the food product is comparatively new and has revolutionized the whole food industry.
Various Roles, various Names
Like any industry, food industry too provide varied range of roles and positions to experts.
- Research Scientists: Research scientists employ towards enhancing yield, nutritive value, flavour, etc. of packaged food so that they have larger acceptance among clients.
- Food technologists: The basic work of food technologist is to provide techniques for preservation, conservation and making of food products to be packaged. Additionally, they verify the compliance of procedure at the time of the food processing and determine that there is no adulteration and contamination. Ensuring the best quality nutritional value in the food items by putting quality raw ingredients is an additional work for a food technologist.
- Engineers: The food processing industry is so generous that it works the services of different engineers for designing, planning, improving and maintaining the whole processing system of a unit.
- Organic Chemists: eligible professionals in organic chemistry employing in food processing industry determine that there is proper method to transform raw materials to processed food items.
- Biochemists: Looking after the texture, flavour, storage, quality of packaged food items, biochemists ensure that there is nothing the customer have complained about it.
- Analytical Chemists: Working as quality analyst and examiner, analytical chemists determine prime quality packaging of beverages and foods.
- Home Economists: Ensuring congruence of the indications on the containers and the food items contained in it is the duty of home economists.
- Managers and accountants: As well as technical professionals, non-technical jobs such as accountants and managers work towards the management of the processing unit and in the supervision of the manufacturing process.
Market Watch
Food processing industry in India has a very powerful market for customer food including pasta, cakes, pastries, breads, biscuits, beer, soft drinks, corn flakes, alcohol beverages ready to eat and ready to cook items, mineral, cocoa products and packaged water, etc. This display that in next decades a boom can be hope in the stream with immense demand of trained experts.
The Food Corporation of India needs numerous toxicologists, bacteriologists, professionals trained in organic chemistry, packaging technology, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, etc. Similarly, Recent Food Corporation recruits professionals who can process and market items such as bread, edible oils, fruit juices, soft drink, etc. A lot of units of North-Eastern Agricultural Marketing Corporation have come up which need marketing professionals and food processing in plenty numbers for different positions.
International Focus
Western countries and the USA have enhanced the food processing units which in fact pioneered the idea of food processing with technological input. Food processing firms based in the US and Europe hire students with skills and eligibility in food processing technology and candidates from India for their talents and hard work can get wonderful jobs in various food processing firms in these countries.
Positives/Negatives
Whereas food processing industry provide attractive job prospects, it requires particular qualities and personality traits. The industry is in an enhancing stage and has a number of potential. Salary packages are very attractive. But there is no chance for egotism as a greatly trained professional may have to supervise various processes and work with workers who are otherwise not very skilful. Odd timings not be ruled out. Therefore, there right and wrong of working in food processing sector. Notwithstanding the efforts new food processing units are not arriving in pan-India basis therefore, quality works are centered mainly in metro cities.
Step-by-Step
Though some occupation in food processing may not need a person to possess specific eligibility in food processing, a certificate or diploma definitely adds to the syllabus vitae. The primary step to get into food processing industry is to pass 10+2 with chemistry, physics, and biology as it is the minimum eligibility for most of the courses in food processing. Most institutes offering courses in food processing organize entrance exams to admit candidates.
Start Early
As is real with any other career, it is vital to have the right aptitude to make a victorious career in food processing. Sincere students start preparing for different entrance exams soon after 10th exam. Understanding different needs of the industry and examine the aptitude and set of talents necessary to survive in food processing stream is must for any youngster view to explore the avenue.
Is it the Right Career ?
A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat) analysis is essential before choosing for a career in food processing sector. It is necessary to analyze whether you are prepared to employ in this challenging stream which is still at a nascent stage, however it has a good future. The food processing industry provide extensive range of job prospects for varied range of professionals: managers, engineering graduates, food technologists; therefore, a professional ready to explore his career in it definitely can search for right designation.
It is vital to analyze the nature of work in food processing section, it can even include preparation of raw materials such as cleaning of the raw material, blanching, chopping, crushing, cooking of the food products, mixing, final packaging, adding preservatives, etc. Whether the students would be able to handle these processes must be decided at an early stage to rule out future welter.
Pay Packet
Food processing industry provide compensation based upon educational qualification, talents, contribution in the production process, and work experience. Place of the food processing unit matters a number in salary offered to students; however, professionals employing in food processing units in metro cities obtain attractive salaries. A beginning level professional can get salary Rs 8000 – 12,000. Similarly, those with work experience can get Rs 15,000 – 25,000. Senior management individuals with years of expertise behind them can pocket very huge salaries.
What would it Cost ?
Different professional courses in food processing such as BSc in food technology or BSc in home science have high fees package. The fee usually based on the kind of collages and its infrastructure. Similarly, specialization in food processing like sugar alcohol, oil, bakery, vegetables, fruits, etc needs considerable money.
Funding/Scholarship
A lot of scholarships are available to students willing to learn food processing in India and abroad.Ramalingaswami Fellowship and NAARM ICAR Senior Research Fellowship are the 2 major scholarships for students willing to learn food processing and who want to do further research. Similarly, Agri Biotech Foundation – ABF PhD Fellowships in Agricultural Biotechnology can be availed which support in funding of education in food processing. SK Patil Loan Scholarships and JN Tata Endowment Scholarships are provided on the merit and basis of requirement. Besides the scholarships, a number of financial organizations offer less interest education loan to deserving students.
Job Prospects
Notwithstanding the fact that food processing industry in India is at advancing stage, it offers exponential career prospects to trained professionals in food processing as there are almost 500 million middle and upper class client and food processing firms do not want to miss the prospects. Moreover, the Ministry of Food Processing sectors has ambitious plan to set up above 500 food parks across India in every parliamentary constituency so that a ideal food revolution can be fetched about and employment can be regenerated.
With aptitude to employ and requisite talents one can find employment in firms, food research laboratories, catering firms, hospitals, restaurants, food wholesalers, etc. Higher education and special eligibility helps in earning attractive position within the food processing industry. Eligibility in home science and specializations in food technology, food services management or nutrition can help you raise in the industry. Similarly, applied nutrition, certification in dietetics, food science and preservation helps students advance in career.
Demand and Supply
A significant dissonance in demand and supply of trained experts in food processing sector implies that there is plenty scope for anyone who want to create a career in food sector. With the building up of new processing units a lot of professionals such as bakers, fish cutters, trimmers, slaughterers, food batch makers, meat packers, food cooking machine operators, etc are needed in substantial numbers; however, there is scarcity of all these professionals.
Tips for Getting Hired
The developing food processing sector provide extremely attractive employment prospects to those who possess technical eligibility in food processing. However, there are particular requirements which are needed to get hired from popular notch food processing company. Some tips can be listed below:
- Early start to learn food processing can be beneficial in earning a job at early age and for that one must start preparing for different entrance exams organized soon after 10+2.
- Possessing some soft talents such as being conscientious, , organizational, meticulous cleanliness and hygiene focused, able and hard working can give edge over rest of students.
- There is no similarities for technical acumen in food processing; therefore, students possessing excellent domain knowledge always have larger employability.
Institutes
Notwithstanding the fact that it is a new discipline, different universities and institutes in India provide comprehensive range of courses in food technology and food process to students looking for building a career in it. Some of the leading collages are as follows:
• National Sugar Institute: placed in Kanpur, Chennai and Calcutta, it provide internship program in sugar technology and sugar engineering as well as diploma program in alcohol technology and industrial fermentation to students.
• National Dairy Research Institute: With 2 centres at Karnal and Bangalore, it provide BTech in dairy technology and BSc in quality control in dairy processing and
• Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Himachal Pradesh
• MS University, Vadodara
• Fruit Technology Institute, Lucknow
• Gujarat and Central Food Technology Research Institute, Mysore
• IGNOU
• Central Institute of Fisheries Education
Top Companies
Some of the leading food processing firms in India have come up in joint synergy with MNCs operating in India. While firms from developed nations give technical expertise, Indian firms provide cheap labour and manufacture centres. Leading food processing firms in India include:
| Agro Tech Foods | PepsiCo India Holdings |
| Dabur India Ltd | Perfetti India Ltd |
| Britannia Industries Ltd | Godrej Industrial Limited |
| Hindustan Lever Limited | Parle Products Pvt Ltd |
| Amul | Cadbury India Ltd |
| MTR Foods limited | Gits Food Products Pvt Ltd |
| ITC Limited | Nestle India Pvt Ltd |
| Milkfood | Mother Dairy |
