Doctor of Philosophy in Food and Nutrition Top Colleges, Syllabus, Scope and Salary 2024

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PhD in Food and Nutrition is a 3-year doctorate degree program, the minimum eligibility for which is a Master’s degree in Food and Nutrition from a recognized college or university or its equivalent exam.

Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition is the study of Science and in this program, the primary focus is food, nourishment, nutrition, diet and their production, management, safeguarding, preservation, etc. The program helps to provide candidates with a wide range of both innovative practices and fundamental principles in the subject areas.

Admission to this course is based on counselling after clearing the entrance exam depending on the college. Some of the entrance exams that are designed for admission into top colleges include:

Babu Banarasi Das University Entrance Exam
Gitam University Entrance Exam
Punjab Agricultural University Entrance Exam
University of Calcutta Entrance Exam
University of Mysore Entrance Exam

Some of the top colleges and institutes which provide admission to Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition are as follows:

Babu Banarasi Das University, Lucknow
Gitam University, Vishakhapatnam
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
University of Calcutta, Kolkata
University of Mysore, Mysore

Successful postgraduates of the program can start working in food production units as Managers as well as Food Analysts. They work in segments of product development where they need to create and design sustainable food products. Another essential part of their activity is overseeing food quality control.

The average tuition fee charged for Ph.D. Food and Nutrition program in India ranges between INR 1,000 to 4 lacs, for a span of 3 years. Such postgraduates are hired in capacities such as Food Scientist, Quality Control Manager, Nutrition Specialist, Dietician, Food Technologist Manager, Nutrition Officer, Food Research Analyst, Teacher & Lecturer, Food Services Manager, Statistical Assistant, Teaching Associate etc. The average salary for Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition graduates is around INR 2 to 12 Lacs but this can be higher on the basis of experience and other factors.

Table of Content

Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: Course Highlights
Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: What is it about?
Top Institutes Offering Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition
Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: Admission Process
Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: Syllabus
Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: Career Prospects

Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: Course Highlights

Duration of the Course	3 years
Eligibility	Master Degree in related subject
Admission Process	Entrance exam and Personal Interview
Average Course Fee	INR 1,000 to 4 lacs
Average Starting Salary	INR 2 lacs to 12 Lacs
Top Recruiting Companies	Amul, Dabur India Ltd, MTR Foods limited, Godrej Industrial Limited, Britannia Industries Ltd, PepsiCo India Holdings, Nestle India Pvt. Ltd., Agro Tech Foods, ITC Limited, Parle Products Pvt Ltd, Hindustan Lever Limited, Perfetti India Ltd, Cadbury India Ltd, Milkfood, Gits Food Products Pvt. Ltd., etc.
Top Job Areas	Food Preparation and Serving Outlets, FMCG Marketing Sector, Teaching and Education, Personal Care and Service Occupations, Healthcare and Medical Centers, Material Purchase Logistics, Office Administration Jobs, Travel and Tourism Jobs etc.
Top Job Positions	Food Scientist, Quality Control Manager, Nutrition Specialist, Dietician, Food Technologist Manager, Nutrition Officer, Food Research Analyst, Teacher & Lecturer, Food Services Manager, Statistical Assistant, Teaching Associate etc.

Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: What is it about?

The program is a propelled study of the procedures whereby the food that is devoured is utilized for sustaining the body. The practical coursework is gone for upgrading applicants' communication and teamwork skills, honing their scrupulousness or attention-to-detail and the capacity to precisely record comes about.

Food manufacturers, Sustenance makers, producers and retailers are basic businesses in the field, as likewise food technical service organizations and government offices which create food policy and required forms. Food and Nutrition postgraduates additionally work in a scope of regions in the land-based division, agriculture, horticulture, animal-related areas and fresh produce, retail, and food service.

With a mind-boggling uptick in the quantity of food production plants in the nation and beyond, the branch of study is increasing increasingly importance, as far as food sustainably and utilization. Thus, the requirement for skilled professionals who can watch out for solid and healthy food production is additionally expanding, so a mass-scale sound and eco-friendly production of food can be affected.

Top Institutes Offering Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition

Given below are some of the top institutes in India that offer the course.

Name of the Institute	City	Average Annual Fees
Women’s Christian College	Chennai	INR 50,000
Tamil Nadu Agriculture University	Coimbatore	INR 16,700
Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University	Hyderabad	INR 10,900
Punjab Agricultural University	Ludhiana	INR 47,100
Institute of Chemical Technology	Mumbai	INR 90,300
University of Calcutta	Kolkata	INR 1,000
Banasthali University	Jaipur	INR 1,07,000
Pondicherry University	Pondicherry	INR 22,200
Amity University	Noida	INR 1,12,000
Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University	Hisar	INR 54,200
University of Mysore	Mysore	INR 11,900
Babu Banarasi Das University	Lucknow	INR 70,000
Gitam University	Vishakhapatnam	INR 56,500

Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: Admission Process

The admission process for PhD in Food and Nutrition program may vary from college to college. Admission is offered on the basis of an interview held typically a month prior to the commencement of the semester. The interview may be accompanied by an entrance exam, if necessary.

Following are a few entrance tests that are conducted by some of the Food and Nutrition colleges in India:

Babu Banarasi Das University Entrance Exam
Gitam University Entrance Exam
Punjab Agricultural University Entrance Exam
University of Calcutta Entrance Exam
University of Mysore Entrance Exam

Eligibility for Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition

Listed below are the minimum criteria which candidates interested in pursuing the course are required to fulfil, in order to be eligible to apply for the course.

Completion of Master’s degree is required to get admission to a PhD program.
In some subjects doing a Masters in Philosophy (M.Phil.) is a required to start PhD.

Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: Syllabus and Course Description

A subject-wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is tabulated below.

Subjects	Description
Macro/micronutrients and trace element	Food sources – general and specific sources Essentiality and relevance– involvement in nutritional implications and biochemical reactions Analysis in food materials and assessment of nutrition Toxicity and deficiency - symptoms, levels, health management and their consequences
Body composition	Methods of study Compositional changes during cycle of life Nutritional disorders Effect on body composition
Body water and fluid balance	Body water compartments Regulating water balance Disorders in water balance
Energy metabolism	Resting and Basal metabolism Influencing factors Methods to determine energy expenditure and requirements Thermogenesis Adaptation to altered intake of energy Food intake regulation
Computation Basis of Nutrient Requirement	Latest concept of dietary recommendation WHO and RDA – ICMR Limitations and uses
Nutrition during lifespan	Pregnancy Lactation Infancy Preschool age School-age and adolescent children Young adults Elderly
Nutrition	Public Health Nutrition Nutrition-related to non-communicable diseases (based on Indian Perspective)
Dietary Management of diseases	Medical Nutrition therapy Nutrition in critical care
Nutrition care and Assessment	Assessment methods for practice and research Nutrition and health care
Processing of foods	Wheat Millets Rice Fruits and vegetables Legumes Fats and oils Milk along with milk products Sugar and confectionaries Eggs, meat and fish Beverages
Meaning and concept of food quality	Food Safety International and national food laws Food standards Governing bodies of food regulation Hazard analysis Critical control points of food processing Quality control Sensory evaluation and product development
Food spoilage and control	Spoilage and contamination of pulses, cereal, vegetables, fresh foods, fruits, eggs, marine products, poultry, milk & milk products.
Preservation of foods	Techniques and Principles of preservation Food concentration and dehydration Heat processing Cold preservation Chemicals and irradiation
Recent concepts in nutrition and food science	Metabolomics Nutrigenomics Fat substitutes Nutrition required for space travelers Neutraceuticals Fat substitutes Functional foods Biopolymers for packaging Genetically modified foods

Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition: Career Prospects

Career opportunities in Ph.D. in Food and Nutrition offers jobs roles in the region of the supply chain, purchasing, logistics as well as distribution. Candidates can apply for the profile of Development Scientist. Some other job profiles include Industrial Buyer, Retail Buyer, Production Manager and Quality Assurance, Manager. Scientific and Industrial sectors also employ such professionals, for example in the NHS and private healthcare, for roles likewise a Nutritional Therapist.

Job position	Job Description	Average Annual Salary
Food Scientist	Food Scientist is responsible to assess the nutritional value of a variety of food products, and deciding the colour, flavour. They additionally test food samples to ascertain its yeast and microscopic organisms tally and reduce segments that might be unsafe.	INR 346,756
Food Technologist	Foods Technologists are in-charge for arranging food and drink products. They are also in-charge of generating new concepts and recipes for food items to be re-sold in the market.	INR 480,000
Quality Control Manager	Quality Control Managers are responsible to guarantee that the completed food products meet the quality and proficiency guidelines set by the government or the approved private association for which they work.	INR 964,916
Nutrition Specialist	Nutritionists are responsible to take a perspective of a man's way of life, dietary propensities, general well-being, and they furnish their customer with tweak nutritious guidance.	INR 289,292
Dietician	Dieticians are responsible to assess the health of their clients. On the basis of their discoveries, they prompt customers on which foods to eat and those to stay away from to enhance their health.	INR 300,000