Wanted: more food technologists
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The food processing industry has got tremendous potential and there is a huge demand for those technically qualified in this sector. Career prospects are good.
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A highly rated institution
VISUALISE THE scenario projected by the experts: India's food processing industry is expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years. The current turn-over of the food industry is reckoned to be at least Rs.2,50,000 crores at a conservative estimate and is set for further growth. India is set to emerge as a major exporter of processed food and an important hub in the Asia-Pacific rim in the ever-expanding sector. And the investment in the food sector is expected to treble in the coming years to meet the increasing demand from a burgeoning population.
What does all this mean? It means opportunities unlimited for those well equipped to deliver the goods. The bottomline is an ever-growing demand for trained professionals in food science and technology. So far, the food processing industry was disorganised but with heavy investment, restructuring of the industry and entry of major players, the scenario is set to change.
An untapped sector that is beckoning the bright and the brilliant, the food industry employs almost 20 per cent of the total workforce of the country. And given the export potential for Indian culinary delights, there is emphasis on value addition which requires trained professionals. Given the sophistication of the food processing industry in developed countries, a professional can even seek greener pastures abroad.
A course in food science and technology is a sure-shot formula for a bright future. And what do food scientists and technologists do in an industry? The scope is wide and they may be employed in production, packaging, product processing, value addition or quality control. Or carry out high-end research that has a bearing on the society at large.
In industries where the turnout is high, food technologists are in demand to carry out a variety of tasks such as harnessing products from wastes, examining food for contamination, conceiving new methods to enhance the economy of production and improvising the technique of food processing and preservation.
Proliferation of hi-tech hospitals and the perceived boom in "medical tourism'' means more opportunities for specialists in food science and technology.
What is more, the field offers immense scope for individuals who wish to strike it out as entrepreuners.
The basics
A basic degree with Chemistry and Mathematics is essential for most food science course at the graduation level. There are many institutions which offer a three-year bachelor's degree in food science and technology. The Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) at Mysore is rated as a premier organisation in the Asia-Pacific belt and is among the most sought after by students and research fellows both in India and abroad.
A constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, the two-year M.Sc. Food Technology course offered by the CFTRI is the most prestigious and admission is solely on merit, as evident in the candidates' academic performance and the entrance test results.
There are other short-term courses, all of which are rated highly by the industry and the research institutions.
As a premier research institute, the CFTRI has state-of-the-art facilities with focus on 25 different departments ranging from biochemistry and nutrition to fermentation technology and food engineering, food micro-biology to plant cell bio-technology... in short, the entire gamut pertaining to food science and technology.
The intake is restricted to 20 students. There are other institutes which offer similar courses and aspirants should keep their options open.
R. KRISHNA KUMAR
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