If a few years back, if anyone would have looked for a career in food processing, it would have been dealt with quite a rife from parents and other members. Such were those days when food processing was not even given a thought as a career choice. But the times have changed a lot and food processing has become one of the mainstream courses for any students.
Food is an eternal part of our life and it’s something we cannot imagine our life without. The onus has always been on the food but we haven’t paid much attention to the processing or developing the concept of foods. For many a career in the food industry meant chef or any role in the kitchen. Now you can get to choose from a plethora of choices related to the food industry and make a good earning out of it.
We here thought of profiling a few food processing courses and their details for students seeking a career in this line. Let’s check it out.
What is Food Processing?
Food processing is a branch of science that deals with the technology behind the production of the foods and the way towards making it viable to the public through packaging, quality maintenance, and distribution. It takes into account the raw food cultivation to the processing to make it edible and healthy.
Food processing deals with extensive research and analysis to help get the desired food results for consumers. Some dedicated professionals handle this chain of events at various levels helping develop healthy and good food. If you ever were glad for the food on your table you surely need to thank farmers along with food processing professionals who make it work. There are plenty of courses on offer in food processing starting from the diploma to graduate and post-graduation.
Scope of Food Processing Courses
Food processing courses have enormous potential and provide a student witha much-needed platform to venture into the food industry and make it big. They are one of the industries employing the highest number of individuals and the demand is likely to surge in the following years. The food processing industry is still in its early days and it will surely shot up creating lakhs of jobs all over the nation.
A student with a food processing degree can venture into the food industry, retail marketing, consumer industry, and more. They can also get into food processing technical lines and opt for careers in the dairy industry, frozen food packaging industry, fisheries, meat and poultry, soft drink industry, and more.
Courses on offer in Food Processing
As we aforementioned, there are plenty of courses on offer in India when it comes to the food processing industry. You can start as early with the diploma degree or opt for a traditional path via high school and graduation. There are plenty of postgraduate programs that add expert-level knowledge and skills to students. Here’s a list of a few of them.
1. Diploma in Food Processing
Starting our list of food processing courses is the Diploma certificate. This course named Diploma in Food Processing is an entry-level course into this industry and allows students a good path to start their journey. Here are further details of it:
Course details
Since it’s a Diploma course, it comes with 1.6 years of long course along with 24 weeks of training to hone the skills. This course can be opted for by students who have completed their 10+2. It’s for people who don’t want to go into three-year graduate programs and are looking for a quick learning course. This course teaches students about cookery, larder, organization chart, hygiene, nutrition, commodities, and costing. The course is divided into semester base.
Eligibility
The eligibility for this course revolves around clearing the 10+2 from a recognized board or institute. Any student willing to go into this course needs to have scored at least 50% marks in their high school. People with a graduate degree can also opt for this course.
Scope
A student who has completed this course can go for different roles in the food industry and hotel industry. They can opt for roles of food technician, food quality assurance manager, food processing analyst, production supervisor, and more.
2. Diploma in Food Preservation
Next up, we have another diploma course pretty similar to the one mentioned above. This course is mostly geared towards teaching students about the aspect of food preservation and arrangement. Here are further details about it down below:
Course details
This is a diploma level course and runs for 2 years. The course is divided into semester basis and a student gets to learn different aspects and skills during this period. This course allows a student to learn about cutting-edge technologies, food preservation techniques, innovative methods to extend the shelf life of food, food hygiene, and more.
Eligibility
Any student who has completed their high school or 10+2 from any recognized board or institute are eligible to appear for this course. They should have scored around 50% marks in their high school.
Scope
This course generates plenty of employment opportunities for the students looking for a growth-oriented career. A student with this diploma certificate can enroll in the food industry, packaging industry, hotel line, and more. They can go for positions like food technician, food preservation manager, preservation analyst, and more.
3. Bachelor of Science in Food Technology (B.Sc)
Bachelor of Science in Food Technology is a graduate-level program and is designed for students looking for a full-fledged graduation course. A student can also choose between home science or food science as their major. Although all three majors are inclined towards food processing. Let’s find out more details about it.
Course details
This is a bachelor level graduate program and is of 3 years. This course is full time based and is offered by plenty of universities and institutes across India. This course looks into the aspect of food cultivation, preservation, selection, processing, distribution, and maintaining consumer demands. It has a semester-based runtime and offers students modules like fundamentals of food processing, food hygiene, food analysis, laws of food and quality assurance, bakery and confectionary, processed fruits, cold storage, and more.
Eligibility
A student should have completed their high school or +2 with science stream. The student needs to have taken the subjects physics, chemistry, biology, and math during high school. He/she further needs to have scored at least 50% marks in their high school.
Scope
This is one of the advanced graduate programs on offer for food processing enthusiasts and comes with the growth centered career options. One can become a food technologist, research scientist, production manager, organic chemist, and more with the completion of this course.
4. B.Tech in Food Technology
Next up is another graduate program on offer for students willing to take food processing courses. This is one of the highly-rated courses around and comes with a great learning feature that allows the students to develop a highly coveted set of skills for the food industry. Let’s check out the details of this course down below.
Course details
B.Tech in Food Technology is one of the most sought after courses and comes with four years. It is divided into 8 semesters of six months each. The course is one of the high profile graduate programs for food processing and deals with both aspects of physical and technical knowledge of the food industry. A student goes through various modules like engineering, physics, chemistry, mathematics, material science, food biochemistry, food microbiology, food fermentation, waste management, refrigeration, and more. This course is offered across major universities and institutes in India.
Eligibility
A student enrolling for this course needs to have completed their high school or +2 from any recognized board or institute. They need to have taken the subjects physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics during their high school. They should have scored at least 50% marks. Any willing student needs to go for an entrance test to clear the eligibility.
Scope
This course generates one of the highest salaries for an entry-level food processing course. Generally, students are offered campus placement roles in this field. They can go to fields like the food processor, food processing manager, nutrition specialist, food executive, production manager, and more.
5. Master of Science in Food Technology
Now next up we’ve got post-graduate programs in food processing for you. This one is a postgraduate master’s degree which looks to add expert-level knowledge and skills into a person. This is also one of the major courses to help establish yourself in this field. Let’s learn more about this course down here:
Course details
This course is an upgrade and the continuity of the B.Sc in Food Technology that we discussed above. This course known as M.Sc in Food Technology is a post-graduate degree with two years. It comes ona semester basis and allows students to learn the modules like nutrition biochemistry, food chemistry, food processing, advanced labs, food microbiology, food quality and assurance, plant-derived foods, and more.
Eligibility
A student willing to go for this course needs to complete their graduate degree. The preferred courses are B.Sc in Food Technology or equivalent. This course requires students to have scored 50% marks in their graduation. They will need to appear for the entrance exam with the eligibility sorely rested on meritocracy criteria.
Scope
This is an advanced level course that is more about honing and polishing the skills to get them ready for the managerial level positions. A person with this degree can get into the food industry, or any catering or hotel industry. They can join with roles like food technology specialist, brewing manager, food packaging manager.
6. B.Tech in Food Technology
Another post-graduate program in the food processing stream, this one is a quite demanding and highly respected course. M.Tech in Food Technology is one of the highly placed courses and is preferred by many students who are going for an expert level knowledge into this field.
Here’s the course, scope, and eligibility for this course
Course details
This course is one of the continuities and advanced courses in the master’s program of the aforementioned B.Tech in Food Technology. This course is a two-year program and is offered on a semester basis. There are four semesters each with six months. The course allows students to learn modules like advanced food microbiology, food engineering, food toxicology, lipid chemistry and technology, advanced beverage technology, agrochemicals, and more.
Eligibility
A student can become eligible for this course if they have completed their graduation from a recognized university or board. The preferred graduation degrees are B.Tech, B.E, and B.Sc or equivalent. They should have scored at least 55% marks in their graduation.
Scope
This course offers plenty of doors to students going into the food processing industry. The students can go onto take the roles of food technologist, food production engineer, consultant, nutritionist, quality analyst, and more.
7. Ph.D. in Food Technology
The final course on our list is the research level doctorate program in Food Technology. This is one of the epitome of food technology courses in India. This is catered towards career professionals who want to upgrade their knowledge and skillset to the highest level in the industry.
Here’s the course, scope, and eligibility for this course
Course details
This is an advanced level doctorate program where a student needs to conduct research and publish research papers. This runs for a period of 3 to 5 years a student will learn about advanced nutrition, food technology, dietetics, food control, diary industry, fisheries, and more.
Eligibility
A student needs to have completed their master’s or any post-graduate program in food technology to become eligible for it. The admission procedure is entrance based.
Scope
This course is one of the highest level courses that a person can take in their food processing line. A student with this degree can get into roles like a professor, food nutritionist, lecturer, quality assurance manager, and more.
We have enlisted different available courses in food processing starting from the diploma course to the graduate and postgraduate. There is also the research level available under this. We hope this list helps you to find your preferred choice.
Food Processing Course FAQs
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What is Food Processing?
- Food processing involves the transformation of raw agricultural products into consumable items through various techniques and methods.
- What is the Eligibility Criteria for Food Processing Courses?
- Eligibility criteria can vary, but generally, candidates with a background in science (particularly in subjects like chemistry, biology, or food science) are preferred. Some courses may have specific academic requirements.
- What is the Duration of a Food Processing Course?
- The duration varies depending on the level of the course. Diploma courses may range from a few months to a year, while undergraduate and postgraduate programs can take three to four years.
- Are There Specializations in Food Processing Courses?
- Specializations can include food technology, food engineering, food science, quality control, and food safety, among others.
- Is Practical Training Included in Food Processing Courses?
- Many food processing courses include practical training or internships to provide hands-on experience in food manufacturing and processing facilities.
- What Career Opportunities Exist for Food Processing Graduates?
- Graduates can find employment in food processing industries, quality control laboratories, research and development, government regulatory bodies, and more.
- Are There Online Food Processing Courses?
- Some institutions may offer online or distance learning options for food processing courses. However, the availability of online courses can vary.
- Do Food Processing Courses Cover Food Safety Regulations?
- Yes, many courses include modules on food safety, quality control, and compliance with food regulations to ensure that graduates understand the importance of maintaining food safety standards.
- Are There Placement Opportunities After Completing a Food Processing Course?
- Many institutions have placement services to assist students in finding job opportunities after completing their course. Check with the specific institution for details on their placement support.
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How Can I Apply for a Food Processing Course in India?
- The application process typically involves submitting an online or paper application form, providing academic transcripts and other required documents, and possibly attending an entrance exam or interview.
Rahul Kumar is a passionate educator, writer, and subject matter expert in the field of education and professional development. As an author on CoursesXpert, Rahul Kumar’s articles cover a wide range of topics, from various courses, educational and career guidance.
