How to Become Food Safety Officer? Eligibility, Job Role, Salary & More
Rajasthan Public Service Commission Rajasthan Administrative Services 2025 ( RPSC RAS )
Food Safety Officers in India: Want to make a career in the field of food then Food Safety Officers is one of the best jobs for you. Read the article to know the complete details about the food safety officers like eligibility criteria, qualifications, relevant exams, recruitment drives, job roles, salary, and much more.
Food Safety Officers
Food Safety Officer Job Role, Eligibility & Salary: India is among the largest consumers of packaged food, and the consumers eating packaged food are always concerned with the nutrients, health, and every minute detail of them. Ever thought about who ensures the quality of these packaged foods? The Food Safety Officer. These Officers are solely responsible for the quality check of these packaged food items.
The first question that arises is how to become a Food Safety Officer in India. The first and foremost thing that candidates need to become a Food Safety Officer (FSO) in India is a graduate or post-graduate degree in this field, namely Food Technology, Dairy Technology, Microbiology or Biochemistry. We have discussed a step-by-step guide for becoming a food safety inspector, educational qualifications, job role, salary, opportunities as food Officers, and more. Read the complete article for the complete details about the food safety Officers.
Candidates who hold a bachelor's degree or are graduate from any recognised university recognised by the Government in consultation with the RPSC are eligible to appear for the RPSC RAS examination. Moreover, the age of the candidates should be between 21 to 40 years. There is RPSC RAS upper age relaxation for reserved categories such as SC, ST, OBC, EWS and others.
Also Read: RPSC RAS 2025 Exam
- Who is a Food Safety Officer?
- Food Safety Officer (FSO) Recruitment Exams in India
- How to Become a Food Safety Officer in India?
- Food Safety Inspector Exam Pattern
- Food Safety Inspector Exam Syllabus
- Skills Required As Food Safety Officers
- What is the Food Inspector's Job Role?
- Food Safety Officer Salary in India
- FAQs Of Food Safety Officer
Who is a Food Safety Officer?
A Food Safety Officer (FSO) is an official working in the Central or State Government to ensure that all the establishments in the food industry comply with the food regulations of India. The food officers inspect the warehouses or the offices of food companies, collect the samples and analyse them thoroughly. Based on their analysis, the officers take the subsequent actions, such as corrective actions against any violations. They need to know all the laws governing safety and health.
Food Safety Officer (FSO) Recruitment Exams in India
There are various recruitment exams conducted by state PSCs and central government organisations in India for the Food Safety Officer post. Have a look at these recruitment exams below:
- FCI Recruitment: The Food Corporation of India carries out Food Safety Officer recruitment from time to time as per the need basis.
- FSSAI Recruitment: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is the main body responsible for food safety in India and recruits FSOs.
- State PSCs: For instance, the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) is responsible for the Food Safety Officer recruitment in Rajasthan.
Also Read: RPSC RAS Vacancy 2025
How to Become a Food Safety Officer in India?
To become a Food Safety Officer in India, you need to possess the required eligibility criteria for food inspector exams in India. The step-by-step process to become an FSO along with the Food Safety Officer eligibility, is given below:
Food Safety Officer Age Limit
Candidates who want to appear for the Food Safety Officer exam must be between 18 to 40 years of age. The relaxation for the different categories is given according to the norms of the Government of India.
Food Safety Officer Qualification
The candidates who want to appear for the Food Safety Office exam must possess a bachelor's degree. The complete details of the educational qualification for the food Officers are given below:
- BE or BTech in Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Food Technology
- Food Science
- Microbiology
- Edible Oil Technology
- Industrial Microbiology
- Master's Degree in Chemistry/Biotechnology/Toxicology and more
Pursue Certification Course
The candidates who want to appear for the Food Safety Officer exam are advised to pursue a certification course to add weightage to their qualifications. The certification courses will help the candidates in the interviews and merit list formation. Some of the certification courses are mentioned below:
- Food Laws and Standard
- Fundamentals of Food Process Engineering
- Food Microbiology and Food Safety
- Global Food Security
Apply for the Food Safety Officer Exam
The candidates possessing the eligibility for the exam must apply for the food inspector exam in India. The recruitment is done by FCI, FSSAI, and many more private organizations. Apply for the exam to become a food inspector. After qualifying for the exam the candidates will undergo a medical exam and interview. After the final document verification round the candidates will start their careers as food safety Officers.
Also Read: Rajasthan Police Constable 2025
Food Safety Inspector Exam Pattern
The food safety inspector exam is conducted in 2 stages- a written exam and a personal interview. Check the exam pattern for the food safety inspectors in India in the table below:
| Food Safety Inspector Exam Pattern 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Written Exam | Marks: 200 Duration: 2 to 3 hours |
| Interview | - |
Food Safety Inspector Exam Syllabus
The candidates can check the syllabus for the Food Safety Inspectors below:
- Food Science and Technology
- Food Safety Management Systems
- Food Laws and Regulations
- Food Microbiology
- Public Health and Hygiene
Also Read: RRB Exams 2025
Skills Required As Food Safety Officers
Food safety officers in India need to have the following skills:
- Communication skill
- Decision-Making skill
- Attention to Safety skill
- Critical thinking
Also Read: SSC GD 2025
What is the Food Inspector's Job Role?
The food safety Officers are responsible for the quality check of the foods ranging from restaurants to food manufacturing plants. The food Officers collect the food samples from the food processing environment and send them to the lab for the purpose of research and to ensure the quality of the food as per the norms of the India Government.
If the quality of the food sample does not qualify in the quality check inspection then the food Officers can cancel the license of the vendors or the food manufacturing plant according to the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006. The detailed job roles of the food safety Officers are given below:
Food Inspection
The food Officers have to make inspections in the food processing environment either restaurants, food vendors, factories, and more. During the inspections, the food safety officer is solely responsible for the food inspections. The Officers check the quality of the food item on the basis of ingredients, nutrients, regulators, and several other food safety standards.
Also Read: UGC NET Political Science Syllabus
Ensuring Safety
The food inspector's core responsibility is to ensure food safety and security. He or she also ensures that the sanitation systems are kept and maintained according to the guidelines of the authority
Food Safety Officer Salary in India
The salary of food safety Officers varies from organisation to organisation. However, the candidates can check the average salary of the food safety Officers in India in the table below:
| Post | Salary |
|---|---|
| Junior Food Safety Officer | INR 25000 |
| Senior Food Safety Officer | INR 48500 |
Read More:
FAQs Of Food Safety Officer
Q: Who conducts the exam for Food Safety Officers?
A: The Food Safety Officer exam is conducted by the State Public Service Commission and their eligibility criteria vary from state to state. However, the two most preferred organisation for the Food Safety Officers are FSSAI (Food Safety and Standard Authority of India) and FCI (Food Corporation of India).
Q: Is pharmacy eligible for Food Safety Officer?
A: Earlier, a pharmacist degree was eligible for the Food Safety Officer but it was removed from the eligibility criteria. The pharmacy is eligible to become a druggist. To become a food safety officer must possess a degree of 10+2 in PCB stream and a Bachelor's degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or more.
Q: What do you do as a food inspector?
A: The food safety Officers are responsible for the quality check of the foods ranging from restaurants to food manufacturing plants. The food Officers collect the food samples from the food processing environment and send them to the lab for the purpose of research and to ensure the quality of the food as per the norms of the India Government.
If the quality of the food sample does not qualify for the quality check inspection then the food Officers can cancel the license of the vendors or the food manufacturing plant according to the Food Safety and Standard Act 2006.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
Yes, the Rajasthan Public Service Commission has released the RPSC RAS main exam cutoff 2025 with the result. The Commission released the cutoff for all categories.
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Answered a month ago
Yes, the Rajasthan Public Service Commission has released the RPSC RAS main result 2025 (for 2024 session). The Commission mentioned the roll numbers of the qualified candidates.
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RPSC RAS Notifications
The RPSC RAS marks of the candidates who take the exam are released after the announcement of results. The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) releases the marks of all the candidates who appear for the exam on its official website. To check the RAS marks and download the scorecard, candidates need to click the official link and login to their registered accountd using the roll number and date of birth.