| Answer: 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 bringing 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.
There are variety of courses at different levels which train students for food technology job in small-scale units as well as in large-scale units.
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 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 etc. M.Sc and Ph.D courses in food and nutrition, home science, food technology and biotechnology are also available in some universities.
Various institutes offering Food Processing courses in U.P are:
- Kanpur University, Kanpur 208024 (UP)
Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar 263145 (UP).
- Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Kanpur-208002.
Many other Universities also offer such courses:
MS University, Vadodara, Gujarat; and Central Food Technology Research Institute, Mysore (with branches in Karnataka and Mumbai) offers certificate courses in Bakery and Confectionery, B.Sc and M.Sc in Food Science
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.
Small Industries Services Institute, Okhla, New Delhi offers Entrepreneurial Development Programme on Food Processing Industries.
All the best
CareerAge Counselor |
