NEW DELHI: At the level of intellect, food is recognized as culinary art that looks good and soothes appetite. At Delhi University, it is also respected as advanced science. If food intrigues you, BSc (honours) in food technology may just be an ideal option to explore as you set out to choose a course in DU colleges.
Popularly known as food tech, it is one of the few unconventional courses offered in DU for students fresh out of school.
"Food technology is the application of food science to the selection, preservation, processing, packaging, distribution, and use of safe, nutritious, and wholesome food," said Shalini Sehgal, associate professor, department of food technology, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Science (BCAS).
Eligibility
As only BCAS at Dwarka offers this course, the number of seats is limited. Admissions are through merit. Candidates have to meet a cutoff announced by the college. A candidate should have cleared Class XII in science stream with physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology or biotechnology along with English as a compulsory language. However, the department is planning to accept students who have either studied maths or biology from this year.
The good news is that the cutoffs for the course are quite reasonable. "The first cutoff is usually above 80% though last year we kept it at 78%," said Sehgal. She added that any science enthusiast, who meets the cutoff, can take up this course even without any working knowledge about food or cooking.
Content
BSc (H) food technology is an applied course taught in the semester mode with theory as well as practical classes. It is a multi-disciplinary course covering the latest developments in food and nutrition, food processing and packaging, food chemistry, food microbiology, technology of plant and animal foods, new product development, food engineering and food safety.
The course includes interesting lessons with hands-on training in the laboratories. There are lectures on technology of cereals and barley milling, different types of cheese and the method of preparing them. An entire chapter is dedicated to eggs and the science behind dishes made out of it. The course curriculum also covers psychometrics, canning of fish, concept of sea foods and food-borne diseases.
"Educational tours, industrial training and seminars are important part of this course which enables the students to integrate their theoretical knowledge with professional skills. The students also undergo summer training and projects in various food industries and research laboratories," Sehgal said.
Road ahead
According to Sehgal, food technology course attracts a large number of students because of its novelty as an educational course and also because of "a growing demand for food technologists in today's world of packaged and fast foods." Food tech graduates branch out into management, research, education and specialized laboratory work.
"After a course in food technology, there are a number of job prospects in food processing industries, research laboratories, hotels, soft drink factories, quality assurance divisions, rice mills, dairy industries, distilleries, packaging units, and other catering establishments. They can work as food analysts, production manager, quality assurance manager, food microbiologist and food regulatory officer," Sehgal said.
The college offers campus placements and thanks to a good alumni base, many companies visit the college for recruitments. The average starting salary is around Rs 15,000. "However, many students go for an MSc degree or even an MBA. The starting salary offered after post-graduation is much more," she said.
Sumit Nair, food technologist and regional sales manager at a German ingredients distribution company, said, "I got into this course by chance. Three years later in 2003, I was placed as a technical officer at a multinational beverage company through campus recruitment. There has been no looking back since."
He added, "Indian food industry is set to grow by 20% to 50% in next 20 years, creating a huge number of sustainable job opportunities. If a fresher has talent and good communication skills, he can get up to Rs 5 lakh per annum as the starting salary."
Source:- The Times of India
Popularly known as food tech, it is one of the few unconventional courses offered in DU for students fresh out of school.
"Food technology is the application of food science to the selection, preservation, processing, packaging, distribution, and use of safe, nutritious, and wholesome food," said Shalini Sehgal, associate professor, department of food technology, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Science (BCAS).
Eligibility
As only BCAS at Dwarka offers this course, the number of seats is limited. Admissions are through merit. Candidates have to meet a cutoff announced by the college. A candidate should have cleared Class XII in science stream with physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology or biotechnology along with English as a compulsory language. However, the department is planning to accept students who have either studied maths or biology from this year.
The good news is that the cutoffs for the course are quite reasonable. "The first cutoff is usually above 80% though last year we kept it at 78%," said Sehgal. She added that any science enthusiast, who meets the cutoff, can take up this course even without any working knowledge about food or cooking.
Content
BSc (H) food technology is an applied course taught in the semester mode with theory as well as practical classes. It is a multi-disciplinary course covering the latest developments in food and nutrition, food processing and packaging, food chemistry, food microbiology, technology of plant and animal foods, new product development, food engineering and food safety.
The course includes interesting lessons with hands-on training in the laboratories. There are lectures on technology of cereals and barley milling, different types of cheese and the method of preparing them. An entire chapter is dedicated to eggs and the science behind dishes made out of it. The course curriculum also covers psychometrics, canning of fish, concept of sea foods and food-borne diseases.
"Educational tours, industrial training and seminars are important part of this course which enables the students to integrate their theoretical knowledge with professional skills. The students also undergo summer training and projects in various food industries and research laboratories," Sehgal said.
Road ahead
According to Sehgal, food technology course attracts a large number of students because of its novelty as an educational course and also because of "a growing demand for food technologists in today's world of packaged and fast foods." Food tech graduates branch out into management, research, education and specialized laboratory work.
"After a course in food technology, there are a number of job prospects in food processing industries, research laboratories, hotels, soft drink factories, quality assurance divisions, rice mills, dairy industries, distilleries, packaging units, and other catering establishments. They can work as food analysts, production manager, quality assurance manager, food microbiologist and food regulatory officer," Sehgal said.
The college offers campus placements and thanks to a good alumni base, many companies visit the college for recruitments. The average starting salary is around Rs 15,000. "However, many students go for an MSc degree or even an MBA. The starting salary offered after post-graduation is much more," she said.
Sumit Nair, food technologist and regional sales manager at a German ingredients distribution company, said, "I got into this course by chance. Three years later in 2003, I was placed as a technical officer at a multinational beverage company through campus recruitment. There has been no looking back since."
He added, "Indian food industry is set to grow by 20% to 50% in next 20 years, creating a huge number of sustainable job opportunities. If a fresher has talent and good communication skills, he can get up to Rs 5 lakh per annum as the starting salary."
Source:- The Times of India
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