Undoubtedly, the food industry is highly challenging. It is also one of the most valued industries, as food and beverages play such an important, central role in our lives. This industry must comply with many regulations, including with those of the Ministry of Health, and rightfully so, given that the MoH bears a great deal of responsibility in keeping the population healthy and preventing infectious diseases. A license for a food factory, for example, is provided by the Ministry of Health’s National Food Service, and its goal is to allow supervision on manufacturing in Israeli food plants (local production) in order to maintain public health.
The food’s production processes influence how it tastes, its nutritional characteristics, its shelf life and more. Each kind of food has characteristics which require attention, and everything requires preparation and planning on the part of the various food plants. Businesses which require a manufacturer’s license in the food area are required to hire a food technologist for ongoing monitoring of the business. For example, a factory preparing salads or snacks requires a food technologist.
The industrial production of food is a professional field that demands a great deal of knowledge in rules and regulations pertaining to this field, in the characteristics of manufacturing and packaging, and in the food product’s storage conditions. The food technologist takes part in the entire planning process of the food or beverage product: from production, through shelf life, to arriving at the end consumer. The technologist will locate the raw materials for the product and for its package, will incorporate the planning of new products and will plan the conveyance process from the factory or storage facility all the way to the shelf.
The food technologist improves the nutritional values of the existing food products, rebrands them and re-releases them to the market in order to enjoy a successful marketing campaign. The technologist can add elements to the product that change its nutritional value. This includes replacing dangerous substances with others, which today are considered of a higher quality. The food technologist also has the ability to influence the business’ expenses versus profit. He/she is the professional who knows the area inside and out and offers consultation services for businesses in the food area: food factories, refrigeration and packaging warehouses, dairies, restaurants and food importers. Every person working in the food business must employ a food technologist for monthly inspections of food samples.
The food technologist is required to be knowledgeable of various areas pertaining to the food industry such as chemistry, biology, genetics and microbiology. Ultimately, all of these are expresses in the field of the food industry, and affect the entire production procedure and characteristics of the food from the moment it leaves the factory until it arrives at its end client.
The Food Technologist’s Responsibilities
Each business in the food industry has different needs and requirements, but most can fit into the following categories:
- Planning production lines that include flow planning for all of the machines, and all of the industrial processes of the food production.
- Planning and implementing food safety and preservation procedures. It is essential to ensure that the food is safe for consumption, clean from infection and not exposed to bacterial growth and to the development of other causes of morbidity.
- Knowledge in the biotechnical processes of food production.
- Quality control over the entire food production process, including ISO 9000.
- Planning the food packages (not from the design/graphic aspect, but rather from that of keeping the food fresh).
- Maintaining public health as far as food supervision is concerned.
Food industry businesses require the services of a food technologist. Anyone interested in starting a line of new food products, upgrading existing products, or implementing most effective and cost-efficient production methods, will always require the food technologist’s services.
Our firm will accompany you meticulously throughout the entire business licensing process. We work with a leading food technologist as a consultant, in order to provide our clients with complete professional service in the food business area. Our consultant has rich and diverse experience in establishing, planning and advising to various food factories across Israel.