The Bachelors' in Food Technology, B.Tech (Food) program aims to develop skilled human resources in post-harvest technology to bridge the agriculture and industrial sectors. The field of food technology is big and diverse, with subjects ranging from basic sciences (PCM), microbiology (food and industrial), engineering (basic, food, and biochemical), human nutrition, and biochemistry to operation research and food plant management.
Food technology is a growing field with a wide array of careers. Food technologists work in quality assurance and production departments to manufacture a product that complies with mandatory standards. They also work in the R&D department for new product development or process advancement. In government sectors, food technologists mainly work in the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. As a food inspector, they have a role in monitoring food industries to ensure quality. Similarly, as a public analyst, they operate food and feed laboratories to help private sectors to run smoothly, issue licenses for food industry establishments, work with multi-sectors to ensure food security and nutritional well-being of the people.
Food technologists also have a role in government institutions like Food Management & Trading Company Ltd, Dairy Development Corporation, National Agriculture Research Council (NARC), Nepal Army, APF, Nepal Police, Nepal Bureau of Standards & Metrology (NBSM), and so on. They are also working as Experts in NGOs and INGOs, ISO and HACCP auditor, Quality Assurance Consultant, Marketing head of food ingredients, food microbiologists, nutritionists, sensory and flavor technologist, and many more.
Voluminous food technologists have well settled away from the country with qualified degrees from foreign universities and skilled jobs due to its worldwide scope. In summary, food technology has increasing dimensions and carrier opportunities inside Nepal in both the private and public sectors because of industrial development policy and the extension of the governmental sector's quality control mechanism. Entrepreneurship is another demanding sector for food technologists in the country.
Food Technology in Nagarik College
Nagarik College is running a Bachelor's Degree in Food Technology program from 2070 B.S. with the objective to develop skilled human resources to serve the national and international market. The college has highly qualified, experienced, and dedicated faculties under an effective management team. To cater to students' needs, the college has a sound infrastructure to cater to students' needs, including a competent library, separate study rooms, and multi-media facilitated classrooms. Class seminars, field visits, and terminal exams are unique features apart from 45 days of in-plant training and six months of dissertation work (with two months of laboratory work). The college also has its pilot plant with all necessary food processing machinery, laboratories for practical and research work, and advanced equipment required for food analysis.
Nagarik College is ideally located for all the students lying west of Chitwan. The graduates of this college are working at renowned food and feed factories in many parts of the country, while others are studying abroad. If you want to know anything about the course or the college, you can reach out to the college at info@nagarikcollege.edu.np.
Jyoti Acharya is a coordinator of Nagarik College. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Edusanjal.
