Gauri Chabbra
What is food processing?
The term ‘food processing’ is mainly defined as a process of value addition to the agricultural or horticultural produce by various methods like grading, sorting and packaging. In other words, it is a technique of manufacturing and preserving food substances in an effective manner with a view to enhance their shelf life; improve quality as well as make them functionally more useful. It covers spectrum of products from sub-sectors comprising agriculture, horticulture, plantation, animal husbandry and fisheries.
Food processing helps in preservation enhances the flavor and reduces the toxins in the food product which results in better distributional efficiency.
Changing faces- Modern techniques
Of late, Food processing has changed its face. From the confines of food preservation, packaging and transportation, which mainly involved salting, curdling, drying, pickling, it has widened its scope and size.
Today, it has entered the flourishing hypermarkets and organized Retail. In this time crunched society, where the husband and wife are working it comes up with many new items like ready-to-eat food, beverages, processed and frozen fruit and vegetable products, marine and meat products. It uses techniques that make food less susceptible to spoilage. Some of the techniques used are spray drying, juice concentrates, freeze drying and the introduction of artificial sweeteners, colorants, and preservatives.
It also includes establishment of post-harvest infrastructure for processing of various food items like cold storage facilities, food parks, packaging centers, value added centers, irradiation facilities and modernized abattoir.The food processing spectrum includes primary and secondary processing, preservation, quality management, packaging and labeling of a variety of products such as fruit & vegetable products, dairy products, fish products, meat & poultry products, confectionery products and food grains.
Eligibility and Course Cursor:
You can go in for degree, diploma, certificate and short-term programs to become an expert in food processing. At the degree level, 3-year B.Sc courses in home science/food technology/food science can be pursued after completing 10+2 examination with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as main subjects. Further, 4-year B.Tech courses in food technology are also conducted, with the same eligibility criteria. One can seek admission in M.Sc and M.Tech programs in food and nutrition, home science, food technology, and biotechnology, at the post graduate level, running for two years of duration. Later, food technologists can choose their respective fields of specialization, namely, sugar, alcohol, bakery, oil, fruits and vegetables, and so on, through PhD program in food technology, biotechnology, or food preservation
* Diploma in Food Science Technology
* Diploma in Food Science, Preservation and Management
* Bachelor of Science in Food Technology
* Bachelor of Science in Food Science
* Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition
* Bachelor of Science in Food Preservation
* Bachelor of Technology in Food Engineering
* Bachelor of Science (after Bachelor of Science.) in Food
Technology
* Master of Science in Food Science
* Master of Science in Food Technology
* Master of Science in Food and Fermentation Technology
and Food Science
* Master of Science in Food and Nutrition
Income Avenues:
Despite the fact that food processing industry is at a nascent stage, it offers income avenues to trained professionals. Moreover, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries has ambitious plan to set upfood parks across India in every parliamentary constituency so that a real food revolution can be brought about and employment can be generated.
The avenues can be in the field of self- employment or in case you can find a job in companies, food research laboratories, catering companies, food wholesalers, hospitals, and restaurants as bakers, trimmers, fish cutters, slaughterers, meat packers, food batch makers, food cooking machine operators, are required in substantial numbers; however, there is dearth of all these professionals.
In case you are in the agriculture sector, you can either diversify your portfolio or increase income by exploring the following avenues:
Training on Agro Processing:
Food processing industry in India has a very potent market for consumer food including pasta, breads, cakes, pastries, biscuits,ready to eat and ready to cook products. In you are an agriculturist, you can diversify your income and increase shelf life of your produce by setting up a processing plant that processes your wheat and converts it into flour for bakeries for breads, restaurants and the like.
Punjab Agriculture University,(PAU) Ludhiana runs 5 day training programs for farmers on Agro processing. Dr Ashok Kumar, Prof and Head, Department of Processing and Food Engineering, PAU says,” In order to develop the spirit of entrepreneurship among the rural youth and encourage value addition and diversification in farming and farm produce, we run training programs from Monday to Friday on Agro Processing. The batch starts on August 21- 25th, 2013. The training includes techniques of processing wheat into flour, turmeric into turmeric powder for value addition and increase in shelf life. The farmers are informed about the training through advertisements in the newspapers and through KVK’s (Krishi Vigyan Kendras). Subsidized stay arrangements are made in Farmers Hostel for the participating farmers”.
When asked about the initial investment required for setting up an Agro Processing Unit he said,”The initial investment depends upon the type of plant and the type of machinery required whether it is flour milling or rice milling. However, it ranges between Rs 10 lacs to 25 lacs. The expected revenue that can be generated is double to triple of the raw material.”
“My message to farmers and rural youth is to go in for these trainings and set up Agro processing units. This would generate employment among the youth and also prevent migration of youth to urban areas in search of employment besides uplifting the overall quality of farm produce”, he further added.
Dairy and dairy products marketing:
In the dairy sector, most of the processing is done by the unorganized sector. Though the share of organized sector is less than 15 per cent, it is expected to rise rapidly, especially inthe urban regions. Among the milk products manufactured by the organized sector, some ofthe prominent ones are ghee, butter, cheese, ice creams, milk powders, malted milk food, and infant foods.
You can combine your degree in Food Processing with an MBA and seek a job with the leading giants in dairy products like Nestle, Amul etc.
Fruits & vegetable processing:
Among the agriculture commodities, fruits and vegetable considered as perishable commodities are available in seasonal surplus during the certain parts of the year in the different regions and wasted in large quantities due to the absence of facilities and technical know-how or proper handling, distribution, marketing, and storage and product development for processed food products. Fruits like kinnow, grapes are bring about a glut in the market during the season and often perish because of their low shelf life.
Department of Food technology, PAU Ludhiana runs the following short term training programs
* Home Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables
* Soyabean Processing
* Preparation of Value added Products from grains eg Pasta and Noodles
* Preparation of dairy products
Dr Amarjit Kaur, Head , Department of Food Technology said,” The training on home Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables is imparted twice a year once for summer vegetables and second time for winter season fruits. These traings help in fostering entrepreneurship skills among the rural youth. They are also guided about the loan schemes and Government subsidies available on setting up of these plants. If the farmers are engaged in food processing, it could contribute to the economic development of the rural population as well as uplift them from poverty”.
Institutes
Quite a number of universities and institutes can be approached for acquiring knowledge in food processing. The major institutes conducting courses and programs in food processing and related fields are:
* Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore;
* Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai
* PAU Ludhiana, Punjab
* Fruit Technology Institute, Lucknow;
* Karunya University, Coimbatore;
* Krish Vishwavidyalaya, Himachal Pradesh;
* National Dairy Research Institute at Karnal and Bangalore;
* Small Industries Services Institute, New Delhi
Thus, by little training and investment, you can enter into any step of the journey of food from farm to fork…
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