A food engineer is a specialist in the field of food engineering. These engineers are often tasked with a variety of tasks, ranging from the development of new foods to the discovery of ways to extend the shelf life of packaged foods.
Food engineers are frequently employed food manufacturing companies for a variety of reasons. A person in this position might be asked to figure out how to make an unstable product, such as milk or cheese, shelf stable. Some people are solely responsible for researching various food additives that can extend food’s shelf life. A food engineer has typically handled all packaged food at some point during the manufacturing process.
Companies may hire these engineers to work on product packaging in some cases. Many products can’t be exposed to air or sunlight, so a food engineer might be in charge of devising ways to protect foods from these elements. Similarly, even after a product has been opened a consumer, some products must be kept fresh. Engineers in the food industry may spend a significant portion of their time trying to keep products fresh for longer periods of time.
A food engineer, like any other engineering discipline, must obtain an engineering or food science degree in order to work in this field. Those interested in working in this field usually study food science, chemistry, and mathematics in college or university. To become a food engineer, one must have a thorough understanding of how food works and how food interacts with various chemicals.
Food safety is an important aspect of a food engineer’s job. No matter what type of project an engineer is currently working on, all engineers are expected to follow safe food guidelines. Food engineers must ensure that all packaged products are safe, that all safety equipment is working properly, and that all products sold to consumers are safe to consume.
These individuals may also be in charge of creating safe tamper-proof packaging to prevent product tampering. In addition to working on supply chain issues, some manufacturers hire food engineers to manage large food plants. These engineers are needed to fulfill all aspects of food manufacturing, despite the fact that they are less hands-on than other positions in the field.