Food Technologist
What is a Food Technologist?
A Food Technologist is not a Chef or a Dietician!
Food Technologist are scientists and they’re in demand!
Food Technology is the scientific study of the large-scale production and preservation of foods as well as the development and analysis of foodstuffs in industrial food processing facilities.
Food Technologists apply scientific methods to:
- food selection
- preserving
- processing flavourful and nutritious food
- packaging
- distribution
- hygiene (meeting government standards)
They usually work behind the scenes in factories manufacturing food products on industrial scale.
3 Areas of Food Technology:
- food microbiology
- food chemistry
- food engineering
Food Technologists fulfil important roles in food manufacturing companies. They’re responsible for quality control, production management and new product development.
What does a Food Technologist do?
- ensure food is produced safely and hygienically
- follow government quality and safety standards
- develop new manufacturing processes
- invent new recipes for foods and drinks
- use newly discovered ingredients
- modify foods to improve them (eg – reduce the fat content for health reasons)
- work closely with product development teams and packaging consultants
- conduct scientific experiments
- create samples
- work with various flavours and textures
- work within budgets
- review sustainability programmes
Are you . . . ?
- interested in science?
- passionate about food production?
- responsible?
- detail orientated?
- methodical?
- patient?
How do I become a Food Technologist?
- UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG
3 year National Diploma, BTech and MTech in Food Technology
Compulsory subjects: Mathematics, Physical Science and Life Science
http://www.uj.ac.za/EN/Faculties/science/departments/foodtech/Pages/default.aspx
- CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
- TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
http://www.tut.ac.za/Students/facultiesdepartments/science/departments/biofoodandtech/
- DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
http://www.dut.ac.za/taxonomy/term/56
For more information:
- SAAFoST: South African Association for Food Science and Technology
OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Pastry Chef or Toxicologist
Is becoming a Food Technologist the right career choice for me?
See below for more info.