Food science is a discipline concerned with all the technical aspects of food, beginning with harvesting or slaughtering, and ending with its cooking and consumption. It is considered as a branch of the agricultural sciences, and is usually distinct from the field of nutrition.

Examples of the activities of food scientists include the development of new food products, design of processes to produce these foods, choice of packaging materials, shelf-life studies, and sensory evaluation of the product with trained expert panels or potential consumers, as well as microbiological and chemical testing.

Food scientists at universities may study more fundamental phenomena that are directly linked to the production of particular food product and its properties. Food science is in fact a highly interdisciplinary applied science. It incorporates concepts from many different fields including microbiology, chemical engineering, biochemistry, and many others.

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• Food safety or food microbiology - the causes and prevention of food borne illness.

• Food preservation - the causes and prevention of quality degradation.

• Food engineering - the industrial processes used to manufacture food.

• Product development - the invention of new food products.

• Sensory analysis - the study of how food is perceived by the consumer’s senses.

• Food chemistry - the molecular composition of food and the involvement of these molecules in chemical reactions.

• Food packaging - the study of how food is packaged to preserve the food after it has been processed.

• Molecular gastronomy - the application of science to culinary practice and more generally gastronomical phenomena.

• Food Technology - the technological aspects.

Next to breath, life of human being is solely dependent on food and health, and hence the importance of food science and technology in keeping us healthy can never be overlooked. The fast paced life of today has ushered in the era of convenience food or more popularly the fast food culture in our country. On one hand this has led to the growing demand for packed and processed food and on the other it has made the consumer more quality and nutrition conscious. All these factors pose a very encouraging picture on the future of Food Processing Industry (FPI) in India. The food processing industry encompasses basic foods like wheat and rice products and the processes for converting them into edible form; besides processed foods such as bakery & confectionery products, dairy products, meat and fish products, fruit and vegetable products in short, everything which is processed and packaged to enhance and prolong the edible shelf life. This technology has indeed revolutionized the food habits of the people in our country by having cooked and packed foods in attractive packages in their homes. In fact these foods have become a status symbol for many households in the country.

Institutions and Eligibility for Education :

Many universities in India now offer degree courses in food science and food technology. There are also institutes offering post-graduate courses in specialized aspects of food processing, such as Post Harvest Technology (PHT). Candidates with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) or Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) or Agriculture at 10+2 level can opt for under graduate courses in food science and technology and home science etc. However, for seeking admission to M.Sc. (Food Science/Food technology), an eligibility criterion is B.Sc. (Food Science/Food Technology as one of the major courses studied during under graduate degree programme).

Some Institutes and courses :

S.No. Name of the courses offered Name of the Institute/University

1. B.Sc. with Food Technology University of Delhi, Delhi 110007

2. B.Sc. with Food Technology Manipur University, Imphal 795003

3. B.Sc. with Food & Nutrition Dr. Babasabeb Ambedkar Marathawada University, Aurangabad 431004

4. B.Sc. with Food technology Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarshini Hills PO, Kottayam 686560

5. B.Sc. with Food and Nutrition Kakatiya University, Warangal 506009

6. B.Sc. with Food and Nutrition University of Calcutta, Calcutta 700073

7. Diploma Course Food Analysis and Quality University of Mysore, Crawford Hall, Mysore 570005

8. B.Sc. with Food Preservation University of Madras, Madras 600005

9. B.Sc. with Food Technology Manipur University, Imphal 795003

10. B.Tech. (Food Engineering) Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Distt. Satna

485331

11. B.Tech. (Food Engineering) Jadavpur University (after B.Sc.), Calcutta 700032

12. B.Tech. (Food Engineering) Kanpur University, Kanpur 208024 (UP) (M.Tech. is also available)

13. B.Tech. (Food Technology) Harcourt Batlar Technology Institute (HBTI), Kanpur 208002

14. B. Sc. Tech (after B.Sc.) Nagpur University, Nagpur 440001

15. B. Sc. Tech (after B.Sc.) University of Bombay, Fort, Mumbai 400032

16. M.Sc. Tech (Food Tech. & University of Bombay, Fort, Mumbai 400032

Fermentation Tech.)

17. M.Sc. (Food Science) Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530003 (A.P.)

18. M.Sc. Food Technology Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar 263 145 (Uttarakhand)

19. M.Sc. (Food and Nutrition) Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar 26 3145 (Uttarakhand)

20. M.Sc. (Food & Fermentation Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143005 (Punjab)

Technology and Food Sc.)

21. M.Sc. (Food and Nutrition) Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore 641003

22. M.Sc. (Food and Nutrition) University of Agricultural Sciences, Krishinagar,

Dharwad 580005

23. M.Sc. (Food and Nutrition), University of Mysore, Mysore

24. Food Science Preservation/Management SNDT Women’s University, 1, Nathibai Thackersay and Food Sc. Technology Road, Mumbai 400020

25. Food Science Preservation/Management University of Madras, Centenary of Madras, Centenary and Food Science & Technology Buildings, Chepauk, Chennai 600005

26. M.Sc. Food Technology Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar

27. M.Sc. Food Science & Technology Institute of Applied Sciences, Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut 200005

28. M.Sc. Food Technology Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI),

Mysore 570013

Broad Areas of Short-term Courses such as :

• Analysis and quality standards
• Technology of fruit and vegetable products
• Post-harvest handling of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Technology of meat and fish products
• Infestation control and pesticides
• Wheat milling and baking technology
• Microbiological quality control of foods
• Rice technology
• Food packaging
• Confectionery technology
• Production of secondary metabolites through cell and tissue culture
• Food processing equipment
• Storage of food grains
• Food flavours and spices
• Instrumental methods of food analysis
• Processing of oilseeds for value addition
• Processing and analysis of spices and spice products
• Quality Management System (ISO 9000-related) for food industries
• Food biotechnology

Food Processing Industry is a very fast growing industry with good job prospects in India and abroad. Processed and preserved foodstuffs have been instrumental in brining about a change in the food habits of a large urban populace. From eating merely for subsistence, people now prefer to supplement their diet with ‘value-added food’. Increase in consumption of processed foods is noticeable across various sections of the population and the trend of ‘eating out’ has grown manifold. In tune with theses trends, the market for processed food is growing significantly. As per the latest estimate it is an interesting fact, that “The food industry is the fifth largest industry in the country. Currently, it generates employment for about 20 lakhs people and will generate new jobs to extent of 2.5 lakhs every year. Further in many advanced nations, it is the largest industry”. Obviously, with such growth on the anvil, investment and restructuring are required in processing, retailing and for setting up cooperatives. This tool is also widely used for streamlining the agricultural sector, which in turn enhances growth of the food technology industry. Food production, procurement, processing, distribution networks and retailing are attracting large integrated players into the field. With the open market policies of the government and globalization, this industry has also attracted multinational participation. It is a thrust area recognized by the government as well. Needless to say, the industry is now offering tremendous job opportunities to qualified food technologists.

There is a plethora of opportunities for food technologists, mainly in institutions like processing industries, hotels, food industries, quality control, hospitals, packaging industries, distilleries, bakery industries, soft drink factories, product design, pharmaceutical industry, biochemical engineering, spice, cereal and rice mills etc.

It is estimated that the ratio of various types of jobs available in today’s scenario in the country are as :

1. Factory production : 60%;

2. Research & Development (R&D) : 15%;

3. Government laboratories : 3%;

4. Teaching : 2%;

5. Other jobs : 20%.

Remuneration :

Today being a food scientist and technologist is all about success and quick career growth. To start as a fresher/trainee after an under graduate degree course in food science and technology, one can earn a salary ranging from Rs.10, 000/ to Rs.18, 000 per month. However, a master degree holder can get a salary in the range of 15, 000/ to 25, 000 per month depending upon the personal skills and caliber. In the present scenario, the fact is that the stepping-in of multi-national companies (MNCs) has further increased job prospects and lucrative salary packages in this industry. Even the Government of India is giving some subsidy and providing loans through nationalized banks to encourage entrepreneurship programmes, which work out to be an easy route to set-up their own business for the well qualified food scientists and technologists. As a food science technologist gains some expertise in the field, sky is the limit for him/her as far as remunerations and other benefits are concerned.