Personality Traits Needed to Become a Food Process Engineer

Education Needed to Become a Food Process Engineer

To become a food process engineer, you typically need a degree in industrial engineering with an emphasis in food manufacturing or process design, or a bachelor’s or master’s degree (B.Sc. or M.Sc.) in Chemical or Process Engineering, Food Science, Nutrition or Food Engineering.

Skills Needed to Become a Food Process Engineer

In order to become effective in a career as a food process engineer, and perform your job duties with competence, you need to posses a certain set of skills. They skills are also commonly listed on Food Process Engineer job postings.

• Able to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems

• Able to visualize the effects of change

• Able to fully grasp ideas and problems the first time they are communicated to you

• Able to balance needs, such as worker safety, process efficiency, and budgetary constraints

• Able to use the principles of calculus and trigonometry for analysis, design, and troubleshooting

• Able to assess how well the methods, systems and procedures are working on an ongoing basis

• Experience with specialized equipment, such as refrigeration plumbing and controls components

Food Process Engineer Job Description

Food process engineers are responsible for researching and developing new and existing products, equipment and processes within various business units of a food product manufacturing company.

They are also responsible for designing processing, handling, and packaging equipment and systems. Food process engineers may work in other capacities as well; some are responsible for managing or supervising other workers, working in technical sales and service, acting as specialized consultants, or marketing food products.

Food Process Engineer Job Duties

The specific job duties of a food process engineer may vary depending on the sector of the food industry the work within, and the specific responsibilities of their job, although generally they are responsible for performing the following duties:

• Provide process engineering knowledge in the development of new food products

• Evaluate existing equipment and systems

• Determine specifications and scope of projects

• Design and implement new equipment and systems for production

• Create preliminary items ordering list

• Work with food product development scientists to bring a product from concept to launch

• Work with other engineers and technicians to determine equipment layout

• Test and troubleshoot equipment and systems

• Provide client or employer with technical support during implementation phase

• Solve problems in collaboration with plant engineering, continuous improvement and external manufacturers 

Tips for Getting Hired

The expanding food processing sector offers extremely attractive employment opportunities to those who possess technical qualification in food processing. However, there are specific requirements which are needed to get hired from top notch food processing firms. Some tips can be:
o Early start to study food processing can be beneficial in getting a job at early age and for that one should start preparing for various entrance exams conducted soon after 10+2.
o Possessing some soft skills such as being conscientious, meticulous, organizational, cleanliness and hygiene focused, prudent and hard working can give edge over rest of candidates.
o There is no match for technical acumen in food processing; therefore, candidates possessing excellent domain knowledge always have higher employability.

Institutes

Despite the fact that it is a new discipline, various universities and institutes in India offer comprehensive range of courses in food process and food technology to students looking for making a career in it. Some of the leading institutes are as follows:

• National Sugar Institute: Located in Kanpur, Chennai and Calcutta, it offers internship program in sugar technology and sugar engineering as well as diploma program in industrial fermentation and alcohol technology to candidates.

Top Companies

Some of the leading food processing companies in India have come up in joint collaboration with MNCs operating in India. While companies from developed nations provide technical expertise, Indian firms offer cheap labour and production centres. Leading food processing companies in India include:

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

Different Roles, Different Names

Like any industry, food industry too offers varied range of roles and positions to professionals. 
Research Scientists: Research scientists work towards enhancing yield, flavour, nutritive value, etc. of packaged food so that they have greater acceptance among consumers. 
Food technologists: The fundamental work of food technologist is to offer techniques for preservation, conservation and processing of food items to be packaged. Additionally, they check the compliance of procedure during the food processing and ensure that there is no contamination and adulteration. Ensuring top quality nutritional value in the food products by putting quality raw materials is an additional job for a food technologist.
Engineers: The food processing industry is so broad that it employs the services of various engineers for planning, designing, improving and maintaining the entire processing system of a unit.
Organic Chemists: Qualified professionals in organic chemistry working in food processing industry ensure that there is proper method to convert raw materials to processed food.
Biochemists: Looking after the flavour, texture, storage, quality of packaged food products, biochemists ensure that there is nothing the consumers have to complain about.
Analytical Chemists: Working as quality analyst and checker, analytical chemists ensure prime quality packaging of foods and beverages.
Home Economists: Ensuring congruency of the instructions on the containers and the food products contained in it is the job of home economists.
Managers and accountants: Besides technical professionals, non-technical jobs such as managers and accountants work towards the management of the processing unit and in the supervision of the production process.

Positives/Negatives

Market Watch

Food processing industry in India has a very potent market for consumer food including pasta, breads, cakes, pastries, biscuits, soft drinks, beer, alcohol beverages, corn flakes, ready to eat and ready to cook products, cocoa products, mineral and packaged water, etc. This shows that in coming decades a boom can be expected in the sector with immense demand of trained professionals. 

The Food Corporation of India requires numerous bacteriologists, toxicologists, professionals trained in packaging technology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, etc. Similarly, Modern Food Corporation recruits professionals who can process and market products such as bread, fruit juices, edible oils, soft drink, etc. A number of units of North-Eastern Agricultural Marketing Corporation have come up which require food processing and marketing professionals in large numbers for various positions.

International Focus

Western countries and the USA have developed food processing units which in fact pioneered the concept of food processing with technological input. Food processing companies based in the US and Europe hire candidates with skills and qualification in food processing technology and students from India for their skills and hard work can get attractive jobs in various food processing companies in these countries.

Career in Food Processing

A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat) analysis is necessary before opting for a career in food processing industry. It is necessary to judge whether you are prepared to work in this challenging sector which is still at a nascent stage, although it has a bright future. The food processing industry offers extensive range of job opportunities for varied range of professionals: managers, food technologists, engineering graduates; therefore, a professional willing to explore his career in it definitely can look for right designation.

It is important to analyse the nature of work in food processing segment, it can even involve preparation of raw materials like cleaning of the raw material, chopping, blanching, crushing, mixing, cooking of the food item, adding preservatives, final packaging, etc. Whether the candidate would be able to handle these processes should be decided at an early stage to rule out future dilemma.

Funding/Scholarship

A number of scholarships are available to candidates willing to study food processing in India and abroad. NAARM ICAR Senior Research Fellowship and Ramalingaswami Fellowship are the two major scholarships for candidates willing to study food processing and who wish to do further research. Similarly, Agri Biotech Foundation - ABF PhD Fellowships in Agricultural Biotechnology can be availed which help in funding of education in food processing. SK Patil Loan Scholarships and JN Tata Endowment Scholarships are offered on the merit and requirement basis. Besides the scholarships, a number of financial organisations offer low interest education loan to deserving candidates.

Job Prospects

Despite the fact that food processing industry in India is at developing stage, it offers exponential career opportunities to trained professionals in food processing as there are nearly 500 million middle and upper class consumers and food processing companies do not want to miss the opportunity. Moreover, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries has ambitious plan to set up more than 500 food parks across India in every parliamentary constituency so that a real food revolution can be brought about and employment can be generated.

Personal attributes required in Food Industry

 Assiduous, meticulous, organizational abilities, particular about cleanliness and hygiene, prudent, hard working, professional courses. There are several Food and Nutrition Extension Centers 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 and so on.

     Some universities in India offer degree courses in food technology and food science. There are also institutes offering Post Graduate 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 Physics Chemistry Mathematics (PCM) or Physics Chemistry Biology (PCB) at 10+2 level. Food technologists have Graduate / Post Graduate degrees in the field, which are offered at various institutes in India. M.Sc. and Ph.D courses in food and nutrition, home science, food technology and biotechnology are also available in Indian universities.

Various programs are available in food technology courses including B.Tech, B.Sc., M.Tech., M.Sc. and Ph.D. The eligibility criteria for B.Tech., B.Sc., in food technology include 10+2 or equivalent in Science. It is four/three years full time course. The candidate opting for M.Sc. in food technology should have the Bachelor’s degree in Science with chemistry which is a two-year full time course. After completion of M.Sc., the candidate can pursue Ph.D. program in food processing engineering and technology. The candidate can also opt for M.Tech in food processing technology with a B.Tech degree and the course duration being two years. The challenge for the food technologist is to increase the variety and improve the quality and nutritional value of foods that are being consumed by people, while at the same time maintaining affordability through efficient manufacturing.

INSTITUTES OFFERING FOOD PROCESSING ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY COURSES

Karunya University, Coimbatore offers B.Tech and M.Tech in Food Processing Engineering, Coimbatore- 641114

MS University, Vadodara, Gujarat

Central Food Technology Research Institute, Mysore

Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Himachal Pradesh

Fruit Technology Institute, Lucknow  

National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal  

National Dairy Research Institute, Bangalore 

IGNOU offers a Certificate Course in Food and Nutrition. 

SRM Institute of Science and Technology - Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) - Food and Process Engineering

Anna University, Chennai - Bachelor of Technology 

(B.Tech) - Food Technology

University of Delhi, Delhi- 110007 

Self-Employment Opportunities

Self-employment opportunities also exist in the form of dynamic delivery networks for those who want to work on their own.
Food technologists, technicians, bio technologists and engineers are required in this industry for 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 maintaining hygiene and maintaining quality of products.

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

Food Technologists
•    To determine whether a
     particular process is being performed in a certain specified way or not.
•    Instrumental in devising new ways and improving the older ones for preserving, conserving and processing food.
•    To check for the contamination, adulteration and controlling the nutritional value of the food products which are to be processed.
•    To determine the quality of the raw materials used in the plants as well as the food, this has to be dispatched to the market.
•    To look after the storage conditions and hygiene.

Organic Chemists: Advise on the methods by which the raw materials have to be converted into processed food.
Biochemists: Suggest improvements in flavor, texture, storage and quality.
Analytical Chemists: Analyze food products to maintain quality.
Home Economists: Expert in dietetics and nutrition and 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: Carry out experiments regarding improvement in yield, flavor, nutritive value and general acceptability of the packaged food. 

Food Process Engineer :Career Roadmap

Food process engineers help develop and refine food products, packaging and processing equipment. They might work in a quiet, climate-controlled development laboratory or office creating designs. Alternately, they might work on-site in a noisy packaging or processing facility, assessing the need for a new process or piece of equipment or observing equipment to see if it is working properly. This variety in work environments means these engineers might get to travel regularly. Additionally, they might also get to work on outdoor projects, although this could mean working long hours to take advantage of favorable weather conditions.

Job Requirements

A bachelor's degree is typically required in order to enter the food process engineering field, though some of these workers hold graduate degrees. The following table contains the main requirements for food process engineers:

	Common Requirements
Degree Level	Bachelor's degree required*
Degree Field	Food process engineering, biology, food science or a related field***
Experience	None for entry-level positions; some employers require at least three years of experience***
Key Skills	Data analysis skills, observational and communication skills, ability to think critically and solve problems*
Computer Skills	Spreadsheets, computer-aided design (CAD) software, photo imaging software**