When you return hungry and tired from college or work, the last thing you want to do is cook a quick snack or dinner. All you feel like doing is propping your feet in front of the television and relaxing. Well, that will relieve you of tiredness, but how will you relieve your hunger pangs without cooking? Here’s where processed foods like ready- to- eat- snacks or dinners come to your rescue. Its flavour is preserved for at least six months from the date the product was bottled, packed or canned.
What is it?
Food processing is a branch of food science, that uses a set of methods and techniques to transform raw ingredients into food for the consumption of humans and animals. In the late 20th century, products such as dried instant soups, reconstituted fruits and juices, and self cooking meals were developed for the convenience of changing lifestyles.
Processing of food leads to preservation of food, enhances its flavour and reduces the toxins in the food product. Long voyages would not be possible, and military campaigns would be more difficult and expensive to execute without food processing.
Modern food processing techniques have led to the feasibility of supermarkets. Extra nutrients can be added while processing the food, so that the processed food lasts longer.
Indian Scenario
The food processing industry is still at its nascent stage in India. It thus provides ample employment opportunities as it gains momentum in 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.
Options
Food processing companies, Food research laboratories, food wholesalers, Hospitals, Catering establishments, Retailers, Restaurants etc., provide employment to people who have obtained degrees in Home Science and specializations in Food Technology, Nutrition or Food Services Management, or Diplomas in Dietetics, Applied Nutrition, Food Science And Preservation, 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. Self-employment opportunities exist through dynamic delivery networks.
Job Prospects
Private sector companies have been the key players in the food sector and even companies like ITC are now moving into the sector.
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 Reputed and large companies in India are: * ITC Ltd. * 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 Ltd. * Milkfood * MTR foods Ltd. * Godrej Industries Ltd. * Gits Food Products Pvt. Ltd. * Dabur India Ltd.
Required Personnel
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. Industrial Production Managers are required to control the operation of the manufacturing plants. Marketing and Sales Personnel are required for sales promotion and marketing.
Specialisations
* Food technologists: can specialize in any of the many fields of food processing such as sugar alcohol, bakery, oil, fruits and vegetables etc. one can do Ph.D in food technology or biotechnology or food preservation. They determine whether a particular process is being performed in a certain specified way or not. They devise new ways, while improving the older ones for preserving, conserving and processing food. They have to check for the contamination, adulteration and controlling the nutritional value of food products to be processed. They also determine the quality of raw materials used in the plants aw well as the food to be dispatched to the market. They also look after the storage conditions and hygiene.
Food technologists work in research laboratories or on production lines to develop new products, test current ones, and control the overall food quality. But they work mainly in hotels, food industries, quality control, hospitals, packaging, industries, distilleries, soft drink factories and rice mills, manufacturing industries by using their expertise in monitoring the storage, processing, hygiene temperatures and experimenting etc.
* Organic Chemists: They advise on the methods by which the raw materials have to be converted into processed food.
* Biochemists: They suggest improvements in flavor, texture, storage and quality.
* Analytical Chemists: They analyze food products to maintain quality.
* Home Economists: They are in a way expert in dietetics and nutrition. They test the food and recipes according to the directions on the containers.
* Engineers: Chemical, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, Agricultural and Civil engineers are also required for planning, designing, improving and maintaining the processing systems.
* Research Scientists: They carry on experiments regarding improvement in yield, flavour, nutritive value and general acceptability of the packaged food.
* Managers and accountants: They manage administration and the finances apart from supervising the processing work.
Remuneration
Earnings vary by industry, skill, geographic region, and educational level. At the entry level the food technologists can earn around Rs.5000 to Rs.8000 per month. Those who have an experience of around five years can draw a salary in the range of Rs.10000 to Rs.15000 per month. And those who have worked for 15 years can earn up to Rs.30000 per month.
Eligibility
Some universities in India offer graduate and post graduate degree courses in food technology and food science. There are institutes offering postgraduate courses in specialized aspects of food processing.
Admission for under graduate courses in food technology, food science and home science is open for candidates with PCM or PCB at 10+2 level.
For admission in M.Sc / Management, the eligibility criterion is B.Sc.
Home Science graduates or higher degrees in Dietetics / Nutrition and Hotel Management graduates (food & beverage) can work as a team in food production industries, marketing, preservation and so on. This is why graduates in Home Science or Nutrition have a wide range of options before them.
For B.Sc. in Home Science/ Food Technology/ Food Science, one should have passed 10+2 examinations with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as the main subjects. For M.Sc/Management, the minimum eligibility is a B.Sc.
For admission in undergraduate course in Food Technology, the candidate should have Physics, Maths, Chemistry and Biology at 10+2 level. To get admission in an M.Sc. course in Food Technology, a B.Sc. degree in Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Biology or a B.Tech. in Food Technology is a pre-requisite.
Home Science- graduates or higher degree holders in Nutrition/ Dietetics and Hotel Management graduates are also eligible for higher studies in Food Technology.
After the successful completion of 10+2 or equivalent examination, the candidate can pursue short-term certificate, craft and diploma courses at various institutes and universities.
Food craft institutes and institutes of hotel management, catering and nutrition conduct one year's full-time certificate courses in bakery and confectionery, canning and food preservation.
For this, the aspirant should have passed 10+2 with 50% marks.
Degree courses in Home Science, Food Technology and Food Science and in specialized areas like Fisheries, or Dairy Sciences are offered by some Indian Universities. There are also short-term certificate, craft and diploma courses offered by various polytechnics, food craft institutes and universities. The Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies has several Food and Nutrition Extension Centres in different parts of the country providing short-term courses and training in home-based preservation of fruits and vegetables, preparation of bakery and confectionery items, rice milling, oil seed processing etc. M.Sc and Ph.D courses in food and nutrition, home science, food technology and biotechnology are also available in some universities.
Study Here
· MS University, Vadodara, Gujarat; and Central Food Technology Research Institute, Mysore (with branches in Karnataka and Mumbai) offers certificate courses in Bakery and Confectionary, BSc and M.Sc in Food Science.
· SNDT Women's University, Mumbai
· Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Himachal Pradesh; Fruit Technology Institute, Lucknow offers degree and diploma course in Food Technology.
* National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, Chennai and Calcutta, offers associateship in Sugar Technology and Sugar Engineering and Diploma in Industrial Fermentation and Alcohol Technology.
* Central Institute of Fisheries Education with four centres in Barrackpore (WB); Kakinada (A.P); Lucknow and Mumbai, also offers various certificate and diploma courses.
* National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal and Bangalore, offers B.Sc quality control in dairy processing and B.Tech in dairy technology.
* IGNOU offers a certificate course in food and nutrition.
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