I get this query most often from Biotechnology aspirants and graduates: What are the scope and opportunities in Biotechnology? My simple answer to them is “Opportunities don’t happen, you create them”. Be it any educational field, opportunities will never come to you if you don’t create it. It was in the year 2013, that I decided to make a career in Food Technology. I had completed the 4th semester of B.Tech in Biotechnology at VIT University, Vellore and was undergoing my research internship at National Taiwan University - Academia Sinica - Taipei, Taiwan in the laboratory of microbiology. It was a Government of Taiwan funded program for international candidates to work on several research projects for 3 to 4 months. I was assigned the project of probiotics and its health effects on the human body. At the end of the project, I decided to further enhance my education and career in food science.

Biotechnology is a vast area of science and it has very interesting connecting links between life science and technological science. Biotechnology graduates can make a career in several fields such as Animal Science, Plant Science, Cancer Biology, Food Science, Pharmaceutical science and the list goes on. The recent developments in food science provide a biotechnology graduate favourable career opportunities in food processing and development sector. The current food processing industries are looking for product development in accordance with the changing trend in consumer behaviour. The consumer behaviour is shifting towards bio-based food products with health benefits. The current consumers are looking for products with multiple health benefits and at the same time, the food product should be organic and minimally processed with chemicals. This brings the biotechnology graduates interested in food sciences, in the picture. At the same time, industries are looking for eco-friendly processing techniques, minimizing the chemical consumption in a sustainable business. This requires the engagement of candidates with a profile in life science and technology mixed together. This is again where the Biotechnology graduates with interest in life science fit in.

After graduating from VIT, Vellore in 2014, I applied for a Masters in Sustainable Food Technology and Management at ISA Lille, France. I chose this college because of two major reasons: · Europe and specifically France is the best place to learn about food science, because of its ancient culture and history in food technology developments. · ISA Lille offers a course with theoretical as well as practical knowledge. The duration of the Master’s course is 2 years, of which 10 months is dedicated to industrial internships. I also won the full scholarship for my studies at ISA Lille from the French company, ROQUETTE FRERES, where I started working after completing my studies. ROQUETTE FRERES is a French Multinational and world leader in Plant-based ingredients production. The main products of ROQUETTE include Starch, Glucose, Polyols, etc. I work as a technical support to the production department in the company, focusing on process improvements, product developments and production process optimizations.

I look forward to developing my skill set and knowledge in the field of food science and make my part to solve the major issue of the present world, that is, how to feed 9 billion people by 2050?!!