All Tips

Food is the chief of essential materials which the body needs for its well-being. These essential materials are called 'nutrients'. Good food is indispensable for health at all stages of life and for satisfactory growth during infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Wholesome food in adequate quantities is no less important for pregnant and nursing women since they undergo a severe nutritional stress. Food Technology is the practical application of the principles of chemistry, physics, biology, microbiology, biotechnology, engineering etc.

Eating habits have changed with the times. The changes are faster now. The latest is 'fast food' for a fast life. Human diet is not restricted to any special category of food whereas most animals stick to a routine menu, man can and does eat a variety of foods, of both plant and animal origin.

Variety is, for him, the spice of life, more so in foods than in anything else. This natural desire for food provides us with all the nutrients that we need.

Food, as we know, is a basic necessity for our existence. Over the years, the growing commercialisation of agricultural sector, the changing dietary habits of people coupled with introduction of new and improved products, modernisation of plants, automation, research and development and increasing role of advertising has resulted in giving more importance to the food processing industry. Manufacturing, processing, quality control, storage/preservation, canning and packaging of food products including fruits, meats, cooked foods, sea foods, juices, beverages, tea, coffee, vegetables, cereals, eggs, spices, and research are covered under the study oH Food Technology. Those who pass out from this discipline generally work in hotels, industries which manufacture items of confectionary, foods stuffs, beverages, etc., hospitals, rice and sugarcane mills, slaughter houses, etc.

Their work relates to quality control, testing including adulteration test, proper storage, processing, temperature control. They are also engaged in development of new varieties of natural foods, introduction of new flavours, etc. To prepare production specifications and schedule processing operations in the food processing industry also forms part of their job. Those who have specialisation in biotechnology work for improving the quality of raw materials for processing in the areas of genetics, microbial fermentation, plant cell tissue cultures, etc. Market research and technical sales are other two areas of work for them.

Route to educationin Home Science begins with joining a Home Science course after passing 10+2. This is generally a three year course comprising food and nutrition science and related areas. After clearing the Bachelor's degree, you can go in for a 2-year Master's degree and subsequently can do research, if interested. This can enable you to start your own consultancy services. Alternatively, you can join a full-time diploma in catering after 10+2 and then specialise in food and nutrition. A Bachelor's degree in food science or food technology, can also be taken up. Even those who do not have science background can also join nutrition and dietetics courses.

If you are a graduate in Home Science, Microbiology or Biochemistry you can also opt for postgraduate diploma course in nutrition and dietetics. Certain Hotel Management and Catering Institutes also provide such courses to students from other streams.

The B.Tech. course includes subjects like biochemical engineering, chemical and biochemical engineering technology of fruits, vegetable, pulses, oil, milk, sugar, fish, meat, cereal, infestation and control, marketing and administration, food science, microbiology, agricultural statistics and calculus, general horticulture, economics and marketing. Food science and nutrition includes food theory and its processing applications, normal and therapeutic dietetics, community foods and nutrition, analysis of foods, food preservation etc.