The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mohammad Mukul Hossain

Food science is a discipline concerned with all the technical aspects of food, beginning with harvesting or slaughtering, and ending with its cooking and consumption. It is considered as a branch of the agricultural sciences, and is usually distinct from the field of nutrition. Examples of the activities of food scientists include the development of new food products, design of processes to produce these foods, choice of packaging materials, shelf-life studies, and sensory evaluation of the product with trained expert panels or potential consumers, as well as microbiological and chemical testing. Food scientists at universities may study more fundamental phenomena that are directly linked to the production of particular food product and its properties. Food science is in fact a highly interdisciplinary applied science. It incorporates concepts from many different fields including microbiology, chemical engineering, biochemistry, and many others.

Next to breath, life of human being is solely dependent on food and health, and hence the importance of food science and technology in keeping us healthy can never be overlooked. The fast paced life of today has ushered in the era of convenience food or more popularly the fast food culture in our country. On one hand this has led to the growing demand for packed and processed food and on the other it has made the consumer more quality and nutrition conscious. All these factors pose a very encouraging picture on the future of Food Processing Industry in Bangladesh. The food processing industry encompasses basic foods like wheat and rice products and the processes for converting them into edible form; besides processed foods such as bakery & confectionery products, dairy products, meat and fish products, fruit and vegetable products in short, everything which is processed and packaged to enhance and prolong the edible shelf life. This technology has indeed revolutionized the food habits of the people in our country by having cooked and packed foods in attractive packages in their homes. In fact these foods have become a status symbol for many households in the country.

Institutions, Area of study and Eligibility for Education

Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh offer bachelor and master degree in food Engineering, under the department of Food Technology and Rural Industries. Candidates from science group with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, English and Biology or Agriculture after passing HSC are eligible for the under graduate study. The admission to undergraduate programmes is centrally administered through an Admission Committee of Bangladesh Agricultural university. Usually, The notice for admission is advertised in the national newspapers soon after the results of HSC examinations are announced by the different Boards. Applications are invited each year for January-June semester. Successful applicants must appear before a written admission test. From the merit list of the results of the admission test , qualified applicants are invited for viva examination and medical test before they go for final admission to undergraduate programme. The capacity of intake of newly admitted students are 30 for B. Sc. in Food Engineering.

Curricular layout for the degree of B. Sc. Food Engineering of Bangladesh Agricultural University is designed to strengthen the engineering background and emphasize the use of fundamental principles in solving problems associated with food processing industries as well as other post-harvest operations of raw materials from plant, animal and marine sources. The area of the study is Agro-Industrial Chemistry, Crop Botany, Chemistry, Mathematics, Engineering Drawing (Civil), English, Physics, Computer Science, Workshop Technology, Engineering Drawing (Mechanical), Engineering Mechanics, Surveying, Agricultural Economics, Computer Application, Thermodynamics, Food Science, Horticulture Science, Fluid Mechanics, Rural Sociology, Electrical Engineering, Heat Engines, Strength of Materials, Engineering Materials and Cost Estimation, Fundamentals of Food Engineering, Hydraulics, Statistics, Biochemistry, Accountancy, Electrical Machinery, Food Factory and Storage Building, Unit Operation in Food Engineering, Food Packaging and Machinery, Heat and Mass Transfer, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Mechanical Design of Process Equipment, Food Chemistry, Food Microbiology, Biochemical Engineering, Agribusiness and Marketing, Electronics and Instrumentation, Fish Processing, Food Analyses and Nutrient Technology, Post-harvest Technology of Agricultural Produce-I, Food Plant Design Layout and Management, Beverage and Fermentation Technology, Engineering Management, Food Process Engineering, Quality Control in Food Industry, Post-Harvest Technology, Engineering Properties of Food Materials, Sugar Engineering.

Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Islamic University and Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University also offer bachelor degree in food processing and nutrition science.

Career Prospects

Food Processing Industry is a very fast growing industry with good job prospects in Bangladesh and abroad. Processed and preserved foodstuffs have been instrumental in brining about a change in the food habits of a large urban populace. From eating merely for subsistence, people now prefer to supplement their diet with 'value-added food'. Increase in consumption of processed foods is noticeable across various sections of the population and the trend of 'eating out' has grown manifold. In tune with theses trends, the market for processed food is growing significantly. Food production, procurement, processing, distribution networks and retailing are attracting large integrated players into the field. With the open market policies of the government and globalization, this industry has also attracted multinational participation. It is a thrust area recognized by the government as well. Needless to say, the industry is now offering tremendous job opportunities to qualified food technologists.

There is a plethora of opportunities for food technologists, mainly in institutions like processing industries, hotels, food industries, quality control, hospitals, packaging industries, distilleries, bakery industries, soft drink factories, product design, pharmaceutical industry, biochemical engineering, spice, cereal and rice mills etc. Job availability in deferent sectors in the country are Factory production 64%, Research & Development 12%, Government laboratories 2%, Teaching 2%, other jobs 25%

Remuneration

Today being a food scientist and technologist is all about success and quick career growth. To start as a fresher/trainee after an under graduate degree course in food science and technology, one can earn a salary ranging from Tk.10, 000/ to Tk.18, 000 per month. However, a master degree holder can get a salary in the range of 15, 000/ to 25, 000 per month depending upon the personal skills and caliber. In the present scenario, the fact is that the stepping-in of multi-national companies has further increased job prospects and lucrative salary packages in this industry.

Mohammad Mukul Hossain

MS Student, Dpt. of Food Engineering

Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)