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Food Quality Analyst

Academic programs / Undergraduate degrees / Career opportunities / Food Quality Analyst

Food Quality Analyst

Explore employment trends, required job duties and skills for this career. ASU offers a variety of degrees that can help you prepare for and meet your career goals. Visit ASU's Career and Professional Development Services to learn how to develop your career plan.

Potential job titles in this career
Agriculture Laborer, Apple Sorter, Corn Lab Technician, Distribution Technician, Egg Grader, Egg Worker, Grader, Potato Grader, Potato Sorter, Sorter

* Additional schooling, certification, or degrees maybe be required for some of the potential careers that are listed.
What will I do?
  • Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.
  • Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel.
  • Discard inferior or defective products or foreign matter, and place acceptable products in containers for further processing.
  • Grade and sort products according to factors such as color, species, length, width, appearance, feel, smell, and quality to ensure correct processing and usage.
  • Record grade or identification numbers on tags or on shipping, receiving, or sales sheets.
  • Separate fiber tufts between fingers to assess strength, uniformity, and cohesive quality of fibers.
  • In this career, it is important to know
    Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    Foreign Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    It's useful to be good at
    Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

    Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

    Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

    Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

    Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

    Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

    Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

    Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.

    Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

    Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
    Employment trends
    Location Pay period 2022
    10% 25% Median% 75% 90%
    United States Hourly $12.19 $14.52 $15.65 $16.96 $19.39
    Yearly $25,350 $30,190 $32,550 $35,280 $40,330
    Arizona Hourly
    Yearly
    2022 Median%
    United States $15.65 Hourly $32,550 Yearly
    Arizona Hourly Yearly

    Employment (2022)
    30,100 employees
    Projected growth (2022 - 2032)
    Decline (-2% or lower)
    Projected job openings (2022 - 2032)
    4,100
    * Data obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
    What are accelerated programs?
    Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

    3 year programs

    These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.

    Accelerated master's

    These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

    Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
    What are concurrent programs?
    Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
    What are joint programs?
    Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

    What constitutes a new program?
    ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
    What are online programs?
    ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
    What is the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)?
    The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program in which residents of western states (other than Arizona) may be eligible for reduced nonresident tuition. See more information and eligibility requirements on the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program.

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