# Food Firms Need More Safety Experts

> Food companies face shortage of experienced safety professionals as demand soars.
- Title: Food Firms Need More Safety Experts · The Economic Times
- Summary: Food companies face shortage of experienced safety professionals as demand soars. Food firms struggle to find experienced food-safety professionals amid…
- Keywords: food safety professionals, food industry, regulatory compliance, fssai, apna, qa qc, haccp training, food processing, Food, Firms, Need, More
- Source: The Economic Times — https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/food/food-firms-scramble-for-experienced-safety-professionals-as-demand-soars/articleshow/134803694.cms
- Author: Neil Ghai
- Published: 2026-10-09T01:14:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: food safety professionals, food industry, regulatory compliance, fssai, apna, qa qc, haccp training, food processing
## Food Safety Shortage
India’s food industry faces shortage of experienced food-safety professionals.
## Job Demand Surges
Job postings for food-safety professionals rose 94.4% in Q3 after 48.4% jump in Q1.
## Experience Gap
59.5% of roles require prior experience but attract 12% fewer applicants.
## Hiring Challenges
Only 50% of applicants meet requirements for experienced food-safety roles.
## Regulatory Push
Maharashtra FDA suspended 31 licenses and seized ₹5.8 crore worth of food products.
## Salary Premium
Median upper salary for experienced roles is ₹43,500 monthly, 89% above fresher rates.
## Sector Demand
Food processing accounts for 65.5% of food-safety postings with QA/QC making up 61.8% of demand.
## Hiring Timeline
Hiring timelines have risen 20-25% over past 12-18 months due to shortage.
## Key takeaway

Food firms struggle to find experienced food-safety professionals amid rising regulatory demands and hiring costs.