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.

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Personality Type

  • Investigative / Realistic

Knowledge

  • 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.

  • 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 functions

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

  • Packaging processes

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

  • Product package requirements

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

Skills

  • 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 filling machines

    Monitoring filling, weighting, and packing machines.

  • Manage packaging material

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

  • Identify innovative concepts in packaging

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

  • Apply GMP

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

  • 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.

  • Analyse packaging requirements

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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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 HACCP

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

  • Keep up with innovations in food manufacturing

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

Optional knowledge and skills

develop new food products risks associated to physical, chemical, biological hazards in food and beverages food science participate in the development of new food products detect microorganisms keep up-to-date with regulations food safety standards assess haccp implementation in plants label foodstuffs ensure correct goods labelling ingredient threats manage corrective actions food safety principles develop standard operating procedures in the food chain

Common job titles

  • Food technologist ii
  • Food technologist
  • Sr research technician
  • Qa technologist -plant quality
  • Pilot plant technician
  • Food technologist, commercialization