Food safety officers are the administrative level central and state government posts at food safety and health departments. Know more about the eligibility and selection process.
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A Food Safety Officer is a professional tasked with examining food samples obtained from various locations to conduct inspections. How to become a food safety officer in India? The primary requirement to become a food safety officer is to fulfil the criteria of a graduation degree, age limitations, and analytical skills. The job of a Food Safety Officer is to identify any potentially harmful effects of a food product, dubious ingredients in food, or raw materials, involved in its preparation.
How to Become a Food Safety Officer?
In India, a Food Safety Officer is recruited by the State Government or the Central Government at an administrative post. The recruiting process is based on the State Civil Services (SCS) examination.
A candidate must hold a Graduate Degree or a Master's Degree to appear for the SCS examination. An age limit is set by the government, which can be relaxed for some candidates based on their background. Candidates hailing from various graduation or post graduation fields specializing in Chemistry, Biotech, or Home Science can take the SCS examinations.
Food safety officers are often employed at independent organizations, such as the
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Work for companies that create and process food products.
Food Safety Officer is a Group B level administrative job in the Government of India's Department of Food Safety and Health.
Food Safety Officer Eligibility Criteria
The scope of a food safety officer from 2018 to 2028 in the United States is expected to see an increase of 5% (based on the data collected from the US Bureau of Labour Statistics). The employment sectors for these professionals include the government, agriculture, food manufacturing (FMCG), and pharmacy.
Food safety officers must complete coursework in food technology, biological sciences, or a related profession. As part of the curriculum, they must develop analytical capabilities. Therefore, a graduate is usually required for jobs in this profession.
The minimum eligibility criteria to become a food safety officer are as follows:
Age: To be a food safety officer, a candidate's age must be between 18 and 50 in the year of the examination. However, according to the Indian government's laws, reserved category applicants (SC/ST, OBC, PWD, or Ex-ServiceMen) get their upper age cap relaxed to some extent as decided by the government based on a candidate's background.
Degree: The candidate must be a Bachelor's/Master's graduate in B.Sc/B.Tech or M.Sc./M.Tech, with either one of the following specializations:
- Food Technology
- B.Sc Home Science
- B.Sc Biotechnology
- B.Sc Agricultural Science
- Veterinary Science
- B.Sc Biochemistry
- B.Sc Microbiology
- M.Sc Chemistry
- Medicine
Specialization: Candidates who wish to work as a scientist must hold a PhD in the aforementioned discipline.
Certification: Food safety inspectors may also be required to complete an FDA program to obtain a standardized certificate, demonstrating that they possess the necessary skills and expertise for this position.
Internship: The candidate must have done at least an internship in the related field.
Food Safety Courses in India
There are various courses where a candidate can enrol to become a Food Safety Officer in India. Candidates from various backgrounds can enrol in these courses.
Here are the top 5 courses in India for food safety officer candidates:
- Certificate IV In Work Health And Safety
- Certificate IV In Government Occupational Health And Safety
- Certificate IV In Public Safety (Community Safety)
- Certificate IV In Public Safety (Emergency Communications Centre)
- Diploma Of Work Health and Safety
Also, Check: How to Become a Food Scientist?
Skills Required to be a Food Safety Officer
Food safety officers need to be extremely skilled in what they do as a small mistake made by them can affect a large number of people. So aspiring food safety specialists may also want to consider other career options that involve performing tests to ensure safety regulation compliance which enhances the skills.
Here are the main required skills listed below:
- Food safety officers are required to have excellent organizational skills to prioritize duties and assign tasks to other staff members when needed.
- Analytical skills are a core to both the training and the job.
- They must also be capable of working independently, which is why time management skills are a must.
- Excellent communication skills will help them produce reports or inform staff members of their findings and recommendations.
- Attention to detail is important because while investigating difficulties or monitoring operational methods, they must ensure that all regulations are followed.
Food Safety Officer Selection Procedure
The candidate must apply for the position of Food Safety Officer after obtaining the required degree. Candidates can apply for the SCS entrance exam for government employees as a Food Safety Officer in their respective states.
Performance in the admission exam and personal interview rounds will be used to make the final decision. Recruitment notices are published on websites, newspapers, and other forms of media in various states. Candidates should keep an eye out for employment openings and apply as soon as they become available.
Food Safety Officer Employment Sectors
Food safety officers are hired in different departments of Food Safety and Health of the Government of India. The food safety officers are hired for the administrative level post in India.
The employment sectors include,
- Agriculture Sector
- Pharmaceutical Industry
- State Government
- Central Government
Food Safety Officer Job Roles
A Food Safety Officer has tons of responsibilities to take care of. From administrative work to surprise visits in hotels, a food safety officer is expected to work under pressure.
Some of the main responsibilities of a Food Safety Officer are as follows:
Health Inspector
A health inspector inspects restaurants, hotels, food manufacturing industries, and bakeries to check the overall hygiene and treatment of foods. They also inspect the cleanliness of workers, kitchen area, utensils, and whatnot. If any illegal activities are found, they would report it to their directors, upon which appropriate actions would be taken.
Also, Check: Steps to Become a Health Inspector
Food Scientist
A food scientist examines food samples to study the processing of foods and their deterioration rates, check for any poisonous chemicals or materials used in the food, and find different packaging and preservation techniques to use for appropriate foods.
Food Technologist
A food technologist tests and monitors the use of additives and preservatives in food item samples. Based on the experiments, drafting reports and working with other safety officers ensures that the foods being sold aren't contaminated.
Food Safety Officer Salary
Food safety officers carry a heavy burden in maintaining both the quality and safety of food. But, given the nature of the job, the prospect of doing it is lucrative as well.
The annual salary of a food safety officer in Indian government is tabulated below.
| Food Safety Officer | Salary Offered (Per Annum) |
| Minimum Salary | INR 3 Lakh |
| Average Salary | INR 9 Lakh |
| Maximum Salary | INR 11.5 Lakh |
The average annual salary of various positions of a food safety officer are given below.
| Role | Salary (Per Annum) |
| Health Inspector | INR 3 Lakh |
| Food Scientist | INR 7.50 Lakh |
| Food Technologist | INR 4.50 Lakh |
The highest annual salary of various positions of a food safety officer is given below.
| Role | Salary (Per Annum) |
| Health Inspector | INR 6 Lakh |
| Food Scientist | INR 20 Lakh |
| Food Technologist | INR 7 Lakh |
Food Safety Officer Reference Books
There are tons of books to read to understand the art of Food Safety in India. Some might prove useful, and some might not.
Here are some of the popular books on the subject of Food Safety by various professional food safety officers and renowned authors:
| Book Name | Author(s) |
| A Competition Book For Food Safety Officer |
|
| Textbook of Food Science & Technology | Avantina Sharma |
| Food Microbiology |
|
| Food Safety Officer with Free Objective | Khadya Suraksha Aadhikari |
| Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) in Food Technology | PM Kotecha |
| FSSAI-Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Technical Officer-Central Food Safety Officer Exam | Dr. Chandresh Agrawal |
| Objective English - For Competitive Examinations | McGraw Hill India |
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