In order to catch up with the fast-paced life, consuming the right food is very important. And, this need has led to the emergence of food technology courses, which are a branch of food science that deals with food production and processing.
Food technology courses equip its students with the complete know-how of food processing, preservation, selection, distribution and packaging. A lot of research goes behind making food edible and nutritious. Also, food technology professionals need to follow a set of rules designed by the government.
If food science interests you, then read on to know more about food technology courses available in India.
Job Prospects: Pass outs of undergraduate food technology courses can easily perform in the following job roles:
Job prospects:
After completing postgraduate food technology courses, one can become a teacher at a college. Also, food technology professionals can serve biotechnology and bioinformatics firms, and water conservation and research institutes, as well as the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Pass outs of postgraduate food technology courses can also make their way into hotel management, home science and dairy technology. Further, one can serve private and government organisations as a food technologist. Also, food technologists are absorbed in food processing/ manufacturing companies, restaurants, catering companies, institutional catering, R&D, healthcare and food research labs.
Skill Sets Required:
Following are the skills one should either possess before enrolling into or acquire while pursuing food technology courses:
For getting admission to Bachelor’s level Food Technology courses, a candidate must have passed 10+2 examination from Science stream (Mathematics, Biology, Physics and Chemistry) with a minimum of 50 percent marks.
Admission to food technology courses is done based on marks scored in the entrance exam, which can be an all India exam or an exam held specifically by the Institute.
Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is a common entrance exam conducted at the national level to secure admission into undergraduate food technology courses offered by reputable colleges in India. After the exam results are out, colleges release their cut-off and students are given admission based on their rank secured when called for counselling.
In addition, the Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology conducts entrance examination, called IICPT, to enrol students to undergraduate food technology courses offered by it.
Following are the reputable Indian colleges offering food technology courses:
|
Course |
Delivery Type |
Duration |
Fees (INR) |
|
BSc/BS (Honors) in Food Technology |
Full-time |
3 years |
40,000–2,00,000 |
|
B Tech in Food Technology |
Full-time |
4 years |
40,000–2,00,000 |
In order to apply for postgraduate food technology courses, you need to have completed your Bachelor’s degree program in Food Technology or any other related field with a minimum of 60 percent marks.
Admission to postgraduate food technology courses is done on the basis of marks scored in the entrance exams, which are either conducted at the national [Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE)] or the college level (Central Food Technological Research Institute Entrance Examination, and Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology Entrance Examination).
Also, some colleges only consider the marks scored in the bachelor’s level program to enrol students to master’s level courses offered by them.
Following are the reputable Indian colleges offering food technology courses at the Master’s level:
|
Course |
Delivery Type |
Duration |
Fees (INR) |
|
MSc in Food Technology |
Full-time |
2 years |
30,000–4 Lacs |
|
M Tech in Food Technology |
Full-time |
2 years |
30,000–4 Lacs |
Those pursuing B Tech in Food Technology can gain specialisation in areas like:
If you have ever wished to start your own restaurant or food chain, then this is the course for you. Aspiring students who wish to specialise in this field of food technology courses will get to study design and development of new food products and learn about enhancing or combining existing food products by researching into food trends and food management. Professionals may also get to work on product development in small or medium enterprises.
Specialisation in Ingredient Functionality is all about learning how the components, ingredients and structures of various food items determine their quality and functionality. Students are exposed to sensory, nutritive and textural aspects of food items in relation to their components. This area of specialisation offered under food technology courses is apt for students who are keen on knowing and understanding food composition. This specialisation combines the chemical and physical aspects of different food items.
A significant branch of the food industry, the dairy industry actively contributes to the economies of a number of communities, regions and countries. Specialisation in the Dairy Science & Technology puts emphasis on the dairy production chain from primary production to technology and the consumer. Students who opt for this area of specialisation offered under food technology courses will get to learn about the composition, quality and the nutritional value of milk and dairy products. A candidate who wishes to do the course should be equipped with basic knowledge of dairy science and dairy processing.
This is a scientific method to measure, analyse and interpret responses to products through sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. Sensory food research or evaluation aims to better understand how the senses respond to food and eating. It also focuses on how one’s senses can be used in quality control and product design. Students who wish to get admission into this area of specialisation offered under food technology courses should have a strong interest in the interaction between food and consumer perception. The course provides lessons on food ingredient functionality, product properties and consumer wishes. As professionals, students will be required to offer unique analytical methods to help perfect a food product.
Defined as the art or activity of cooking and eating fine food, gastronomy is a subdiscipline of food science that focuses on the molecular science behind products and dishes used in small-scale settings, such as restaurants, retail and catering industries. The course will teach students about the cultural aspects of different food items, food chemistry, food physics and rural sociology. After completing the course, students will develop improved food preparation techniques.
In the world where resources are exploited, it has become quite significant to efficiently use biological resources for food and other types of products. The course will cover Food Process Engineering, and Food Quality and Design. This area of specialisation offered under food technology courses focuses on the development of processes that are more efficient in their use of raw materials, energy, water and other utilities. Moreover, students will also be taught about the identification of processes that lead to food products combined with taste and nutritional value.
Other areas of specialisation include Beverage Processing and Cane Sugar Technology, Boiler and Steam Engineering, Bio-Statistics for Food Process Engineering, Food Plant Layout and Design, Enzyme Technology, Quality Management in Food Industry, Non-thermal Methods of Food Preservation, Fish Processing Technology, Meat and Poultry Processing Technology, Operations Research, and Food Biotechnology.
Many colleges offering MSc in Food Technology allow their students to gain specialisation in the areas, including Pulses and Oilseeds Technology, Packaging Technology, Beverage Technology, Food Additives, Food Standards and Quality Assurance, Nutrition and Health, Food Biotechnology, and Bioprocess Technology.
The specialisation in this field enables the students to conceptualise the design of packaging of a product. All the other aspects of marketing, logistics, manufacturing, etc., which decide the packaging of a product are considered by a specialist of this field.
A specialisation in this field helps the students to solve problems arising in the field of the beverage industry. The specialists bear the main responsibility for the planning of production plants and investments.
The specialists of this field apply biotechnology in enhancing the food quality and in producing new products with desired traits.
It is a sub-discipline of Biotechnology. The specialists of this field use living organisms, in their usable forms, to derive desired products.