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Food Inspection Jobs

To ensure the safety of the food supply in the U.S., the food you eat comes from facilities that have undergone some form of safety inspection. These inspections occur at manufacturing plants, farms and other places that handle and process food. People who are trained to work in the food inspection field are responsible for ensuring what you eat is safe to consume. If contemplating a career in this field, there are several types of food inspection jobs to consider.

  1. Food Inspector

    • It's the job of a food inspector to inspect and enforce the food safety regulations for eggs, poultry and meats that are fresh and processed. Inspections are performed at processing plants, dairy farms, and slaughterhouses to verify sanitary conditions. Inspectors must be detail-oriented and possess good communication and observational skills. The career path of a food inspector is food inspector trainee, food inspector and senior inspector. A bachelor's degree or related experience is necessary.

    Agricultural Inspector

    • An agricultural food inspector works primarily for the Department of Agriculture to inspect and test agricultural food items as well as provide training and guidance as needed. They ensure that food such as vegetables, fruits, meat, poultry and eggs are safely handled by inspecting locations such as farms and fisheries as well as agricultural equipment. Most agricultural inspectors have a bachelor's degree as well as specific industry training.

    Consumer Safety Inspector

    • The job of a consumer safety inspector is to collect data by sampling and inspecting products. Safety inspectors determine whether establishments are compliant with food regulations and also enforce compliance. They work for either federal or state agencies, such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission. A bachelor's degree is recommended for an entry-level position as well as good communication, interpersonal and public relations skills.

    Consumer Safety Officer

    • One of the roles of a consumer safety officer is to inspect and ensure that food processing plants, warehouses and distribution centers have the appropriate food safety systems and operations in place to provide safe food. They write up reports on violations and testify at judicial proceedings if warranted. Consumer safety officers also investigate any complaints of food-related complaints related to illness or manufacturer processing. The minimum educational requirement for this type of job is a bachelor's degree.

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