How to Become a Food Safety Inspector: Education, Qualifications & Requirements
Food safety inspectors help to ensure that the food you buy is not contaminated and is safe to eat. Read on to learn about the education requirements, required skills and salary and job outlook for food safety inspectors.
Career at a Glance
Food safety inspectors are part of a rigorous system that prevents the foods you consume from being contaminated. As well as ensuring food is safe to eat, food safety inspectors examine food preparation in a variety of areas to make sure it is handled properly to reduce the spread of infection. The table below provides the key details of what it takes to be food safety inspector.
<table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Degree Required</b> </td><td> High school diploma; associate's degree or bachelor's degree preferred</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Education field of study</b> </td><td> Biology <br/> Chemistry <br/> Microbiology</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Certification</b></td><td> Certification is voluntary</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Key Responsibilities</b> </td><td> Examine manufactured food products, ensure accurate labeling, inspect services providing food, write reports, monitor businesses showing non-compliance</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Key Skills</b></td><td> Maths skills, physical stamina, observation skills, communication skills</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Median Salary (2020)</b> </td><td> $41,970 (Agricultural and Food Science Technicians)*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Job Outlook (2020-2030)</b> </td><td> 8% (Agricultural and Food Science Technicians)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatDoFoodSafetyInspectorsDo">What Do Food Safety Inspectors Do?</h3><p>Food safety inspectors examine commercial and manufactured food products for any contaminants, such as biological substances like viruses, bacteria and parasites; physical substances like dirt, glass and plastic waste; or chemical substances like cleaners, pesticides and sanitizers. Food inspectors also ensure packaged foods are labelled precisely. They must look out for potential hazards that can cause food contamination and observe preparation processes to ensure they follow the law and the best standard of practice. Food inspectors, along with the local government, can also discontinue food production or suspend an operating license for food services if a company is found to have non-compliance with food safety laws and regulations.
</p><h3 id="section---WhereDoFoodSafetyInspectorsCommonlyFindEmployment">Where Do Food Safety Inspectors Commonly Find Employment?</h3><p>Food safety inspectors often work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture or for the local government. They will inspect a variety of different services that provide food for the general public (for example restaurants, food production plants, schools, slaughterhouses and mobile food units). Food inspectors can also be sent to areas where there is a public health concern, like an outbreak of the bacterial infection E.coli.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatDoINeedToStudyToBecomeAFoodSafetyInspector">What Do I Need to Study to Become a Food Safety Inspector?</h3><p>The education requirements of a food inspector will depend on the type of role. O*NET OnLine reported that for agricultural inspectors, which include food safety inspectors, 56% of respondents had only a high school diploma. However, to become a food inspector you will typically need either a bachelor's degree or an associate degree in biology or microbiology. A degree will most likely improve employment prospects as well as increase annual salary. Certification and licensure are not required, but certification can improve opportunities for employment.
</p><h3 id="section---HowMuchDoFoodSafetyInspectorsEarn">How Much Do Food Safety Inspectors Earn?</h3><p>The BLS reported that in 2020, all agricultural and food science technicians earned a median salary of $41,970 annually. The lowest 10% of agricultural and food science technicians made less than $28,650 and the highest 10% earned more than $66,620. In comparison, <i>PayScale.com</i> reported a median salary of $62,882 for public health inspectors in 2021, which is more closely related to food inspectors.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatIsTheJobOutlookForFoodSafetyInspectors">What Is the Job Outlook for Food Safety Inspectors?</h3><p>The job outlook for food safety inspectors is good, with an expected increase in jobs for agricultural and food science technicians of 8% between 2020 and 2030, according to the BLS. Due to the expected increase in population size, more food safety inspectors will be needed. In addition, increased emphasis on healthy diets and living conditions means more food science technicians will be required to ensure foods are safe for consumption.</p>