Careers in Food Safety

RANJAN K BARUAH

EDUCARE

 We are worried as food that we eat may not be safe. The fact is unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances causes more than 200 diseases. Recent estimates indicate that the impact of unsafe food costs low- and middle-income economies around US$ 95 billion in lost productivity each year.

With an estimated 600 million cases of food borne illnesses annually, unsafe food is a threat to human health and economies, disproportionately affecting vulnerable and marginalized people, especially women and children, populations affected by conflict, and migrants. An estimated 420 000 people around the world die every year after eating contaminated food and children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the food borne disease burden, with 125 000 deaths every year.

Food safety is key to achieving several of the Sustainable Development Goals and World Food Safety Day brings it into the spotlight, to help prevent, detect and manage food borne risks. Food borne diseases may affect everyone everywhere, and understanding the extent of the burden allows national authorities and business owners to take targeted action. On 20 December 2018 the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 73/250 proclaiming a World Food Safety Day (WFSD). As of 2019, every 7 June is a time to celebrate the myriad benefits of safe food.

WFSD on 7 June aims to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage food borne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development. This international day is an opportunity to strengthen efforts to ensure that the food we eat is safe, mainstream food safety in the public agenda and reduce the burden of food borne diseases globally.

The day also brings opportunities for the young people who are eager to build their careers related to food safety. We need more trained and qualified people who can ensure food safety for all of us. In simple terms, a career in food safety involves monitoring, analyzing, and enforcing standards to ensure food quality and public safety, with roles ranging from Food Inspectors, Food Safety Officers, Quality Managers, etc. To get certified in food safety in India, the most standard route is the FoSTaC (Food Safety Training and Certification) program mandated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

FSSAI has been established under Food Safety and Standards, 2006 which consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments. FSSAI has been created for laying down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption..

There  are different courses which can be chosen by aspirants to work in the field of food safety. Food Technology courses in India blend engineering, microbiology, and chemistry to teach food processing, preservation, and safety. Spanning B.Tech (4 years) or B.Sc (3 years) programs, graduates typically secure roles in quality control, research & development, product development, etc.

Some of the popular courses are B. Tech in Agricultural Engineering, B.Tech in Food Technology, B.Tech in Dairy Technology, B.Tech Food Science, Technology, and Processing, B Tech in Food Technology , B Tech in Food and Sugar Technology , etc . There are other graduation and post graduation level courses offered by many governments as well as private institutions in India and also abroad. There are job prospects in government institutions like FSSAI, Food Corporation of India, Public Distribution System, etc apart from private corporations.

(Ranjan K Baruah is a Career Mentor and can be reached at 8473943734 or bkranjan@gmail.com)