Profession food and beverage packaging technologist

Food and beverage packaging technologists assess appropiate packaging for various food products. They manage matters in relation to packaging while ensuring customer specifications and company targets. They develop packaging projects as required.

Personality Type

• Investigative / Realistic

Knowledge

• Packaging engineering

  The processes of packaging or protecting products for distribution, storage and sale.

• Types of packaging materials

  Properties of materials that make them suitable for packaging. Conversion of raw materials into packaging materials. Different types of labels and materials used which comply with the correct storage criteria depending on the goods.

• Packaging processes

  Packaging design and development. Decorating and printing processes executed in packaging. Packaging machinery and line operations.

• Packaging functions

  Functions and role of packaging in modern society. Structure of the packaging supply chain and the relation between packaging and marketing.

• Quality assurance methodologies

  Quality assurance principles, standard requirements, and the set of processes and activities used for measuring, controlling and ensuring the quality of products and processes.

• Product package requirements

  Understand product package requirements to prepare or select materials for packaging purposes.

Skills

• Manage packaging material

  Managing all packaging materials be they primary (wrapping, cans, bottles) or secondary (cartons, crates, pallets).

• Watch food product trends

  Examine findings and behaviours as to understand trends, features, or qualitative wishes of customers. Use that information for product development, for product improvement, and for packaging requirements.

• Monitor packaging operations

  Observe and supervise the packaging operations undertaken by the workers for compliance to production requirements. Check products for proper packaging such as labelling and date coding in order to ensure appropriate and safe transportation.

• Select adequate packaging for food products

  Choose the appropriate packages for food products taking into account attractiveness and suitability of the package. Use proper packaging for sending it safely and at a reasonable cost. Have awareness that packaging can also influence the product characteristics such as shape, weight or solidity. Balance out various aspects such as cost, attractivity and compliance with regulations and environment protection.

• Identify innovative concepts in packaging

  Develop creative ideas for materials, packaging formats and printing technologies.

• Care for food aesthetic

  Convey presentation and aesthetic elements into the production of food. Cut products properly, manage right quantities into the product, care for the attractiveness of the product.

• Apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages

  Apply and follow national, international, and internal requirements quoted in standards, regulations and other specifications related with manufacturing of food and beverages.

• Manage packaging development cycle from concept to launch

  Manage the packaging development cycle from concept to launch in order to ensure compliance with financial, operative, and commercial variables.

• Keep up with innovations in food manufacturing

  Latest innovative products and technologies to process, preserve, package and improve food products.

• Apply HACCP

  Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).

• Monitor filling machines

  Monitoring filling, weighting, and packing machines.

• Analyse packaging requirements

  Analyses packaging requirement against the design of the production plan. Perform the analysis considering engineering, economic, ergonomic, and other perspectives.

• Apply GMP

  Apply regulations regarding manufacture of food and food safety compliance. Employ food safety procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB