A food process engineer is in charge of one or more of the various stages of food processing, such as the manufacture, modification, and packaging of a specific food product. A food process engineer’s job is to make sure that food is safe to eat. She must also ensure that the food manufacturing and packaging processes are efficient and cost-effective.
Food processing entails a number of steps. The food product must be developed and manufactured on one hand. Then it must be packaged and ready for delivery on the other end. This type of engineer may be in charge of every step from beginning to end, or they may specialize in a specific area. She must ensure that the conditions are hygienic and that the product is safe and free of harmful microbes as the food is manufactured, modified, and finally packaged.
In many cases, the engineer must be familiar with the behavior of solids, liquids, and gases. A food process engineer’s responsibilities vary depending on the type of plant where she works. Ice cream, for example, is usually aerated. If she is hired to work at an ice cream factory, she may be required to know how much gas is required to properly aerate the ice cream and how each gas affects the ice cream.
A food process engineer may be in charge of developing a food product at some food processing plants. For some food products, development is already well established, but for others, she may need to determine what manufacturing steps are required. She may also have to determine what materials are required. She may also need to know how much heat or cooling is required to sterilize, pasteurize, cook, dry, or evaporate the product.
A food processing engineer’s responsibilities may be heavily influenced by the plant’s equipment. She may be required to collaborate with mechanical engineers to design new equipment in some cases. In other cases, she might be asked to select the best available equipment for a specific task. She may need to train others on how to operate a piece of equipment and what factors cause it to produce a low-quality food product.
A food process engineer can work in a number of different environments. She could work in the food industry, for example, but she could also work in the pharmaceutical or chemical industries. Others work for private companies, while others work for the government or universities. On a daily basis, a process engineer may collaborate with other engineers and scientists, as well as salespeople, plant managers, and construction workers.