Last Updated on December 14, 2022
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How to Become a Food Health Inspector
A food health inspector ensures that restaurants serve food that meets local health codes, and she also inspects food products that are part of the U.S. food chain. An undergraduate degree in occupational health and safety, public health, or environmental science is the best foundation for this career field. Although not required, a master’s degree will make the food inspector even more marketable in this competitive field. Becoming ServSafe certified or earning a food systems leadership certificate is an effective way to learn more about health codes and food handling rules for commercial kitchens. Working in a restaurant or in a food manufacturing plant, while in school, provides practical experience about aspects of food safety.
Job Description
Food safety inspectors work in restaurants, slaughterhouses, meat packing companies and ports that receive imported food. A consumer safety inspector works in processing plants that handle meat, eggs, or poultry. Each day, the inspector monitors operations to ensure that the plant is meeting sanitation and processing requirements. A food safety inspector has the authority to stop work at the plant, if the inspector finds any violations that may pose a public health threat. An import inspector works at all points of entry into the U.S. They inspect food items to ensure they meet established safety requirements. Restaurant health inspectors conduct safety reviews to determine if employees are following food handling rules, meeting temperature requirements for cooked foods, and are using proper sanitation techniques.
Education Requirements
There isn’t just one degree path to qualify for a food health inspector. A degree in safety and occupational health applied sciences provides a solid foundation for a number of health-related occupations. This program focuses on identifying health and safety hazards and environmental regulations and compliance. You will take classes such as safety chemistry, law and ethics in safety, occupational safety, health hazard identification and safety management systems. You can also take electives such as environmental law and response, human factors in safety and safety awareness. Finally, an internship will help you apply your learning in a live environment. Some people choose to continue their education with a master’s degree in safety and occupational health applied sciences to delve deeper into academic learning and research.
Industry
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you can expect to earn an average yearly salary of $67,720 or, $32.56 per hour. If you become a manager, your earning potential will rise. Top salaries are in excess of $100,000.
Years of Experience
Experienced food health inspectors can rise into leadership and management roles. Supervisory responsibility can increase pay. Obtaining a graduate degree or additional certifications may add to your ability to become a food health inspector manager.
Job Growth Trend
A food inspector is part of a team that ensures that the food consumed in the U.S. is safe. Food inspectors monitor the safety practices of production companies and respond to potential outbreaks of contamination. Working for the federal government, the food inspector salary is accompanied by government benefits like insurance and pay retention incentives. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree, experience and credentials in food safety standards to be eligible for this position.
Food Inspector Job Description
While traveling around to various food manufacturers and processors, a food inspector is on the lookout for anything that might cause the food supply chain to be at risk. A food inspector is really a safety detective. Clues like mislabeling, unsanitary conditions or a food-handler illness signal a potential problem that needs to be investigated. A food inspector must be ready to halt operations and issue a citation, if need be.
When a series of foodborne illnesses becomes evident, a food inspector is called in to dig deeper into the situation. If the issue is traced back to a meat-processing plant or imported food product, the food inspector jumps into action. Protecting the public is the main priority of this job. Other duties include the following:
- Inspect equipment
- Check labels on food products
- Check factory environments for potential health hazards
- Inspect animals and other food items
- Write reports
- Develop rules and regulations
A food inspector may have an area of specialization or be called upon to serve in an advisory role for several different types of food processors. In some cases, a food inspector may have an office onsite at a meat-packing plant.
Food Inspector Education Requirements
Food inspector qualifications and traits include observation skills, the ability to communicate, an approachable demeanor and the capacity to handle challenging sights and smells. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the minimum education required for this position is an undergraduate degree that focuses on one of the following majors:
- Biology
- Food technology
- Medical science
- Veterinary science
- Epidemiology
- Nutrition
- Physical sciences
- Chemistry
- Pharmacy
Alternatively, you can substitute relevant experience accompanied by 30 hours of coursework in the previously mentioned courses. Supervisory or higher-level positions require advanced or graduate education.
Food Inspector Industry
Food inspector salary is based upon the General Schedule (GS) of the federal government pay scale. Food inspectors can begin at the GS-5 through 13 levels, depending upon education and experience. There are pay steps at each level. Other variances are provided for locality. Here are a few annual rates based upon the 2020 locality pay of New York and Massachusetts:
- GS 5-10: $46,149
- GS 6-10: $51,440
- GS 7-10: $57,158
- GS 8-10: $ 63,305
- GS 9-10: $69,922
- GS 10-10: $77,000
- GS 11-10: $84,595
- GS 12-10: $101,402
- GS 13-10: $120,577
- GS 14-10: $142,479
- GS 15-10: $167,602
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that the salary of occupational health and safety specialists was $70,480 per year or $33,88 per hour in 2019.
Years of Experience
As you become more experienced as a food inspector, you’ll be able to move up in the ranks. In addition to a higher salary, you may have the opportunity to assume a leadership role or supervise a team of food inspectors. Graduate education may also add to your ability to earn more.
Food Inspector Job Growth Trend
Food safety inspector jobs will always be needed to ensure the safety of the food supply chain. A specific job outlook is not provided for government positions, but OSHA jobs are expected to grow by 4 percent between now and 2029. This is a job category that could encompass food safety inspectors.
Food Inspection Job Requirements
The food you eat goes through a rigorous inspection before it lands on your table. A food inspector regularly checks slaughterhouses, packing plants and any where food is prepared, handled and stored to make sure the appropriate health codes are enforced. They make sure food is property prepared, packaged and labeled so that you know what you are eating and where it came from. If you’re interested in food inspector jobs, you should have a high tolerance for food preparation of animals and a dedication to following the applicable laws and codes.
Job Description
Food inspector jobs cover a wide range of foods, such as meat and seafood, and things related to food preparation, such as pesticides. If your food inspector post is at a slaughterhouse, for example, you examine the animals before slaughter to ensure they are in good health. Once the carcasses are cleaned, you examine the meat again to ensure proper sanitation procedures are followed and that the meat is fit for consumption. Inspectors evaluate the carcass and grade it for quality, following a set of quality control standards.
A food inspector must also monitor the sanitary conditions of processing plants and the health and hygiene habits of the individuals working there. If the food is unfit for consumption, the inspector is responsible for destroying it in an acceptable manner. The food inspector prepares reports indicating the type and quantity of food inspected. If he detects a problem with the food-handling process, he reports the problem to his supervisor along with recommendations for action.
Education Requirements
Food inspector jobs typically require at least a bachelor’s degree. To fill a food inspector vacancy, you should consider majoring in biology, math, physics or agricultural sciences to have the necessary educational background. If you don’t have a Bachelor’s degree, you can apply for a food inspector vacancy with at least one year of experience in the food industry. You must have knowledge of good sanitation practices and the handling and preparation of food. To fill a food inspector vacancy at the USDA, you must also pass a written test.
Industry
Food inspector jobs are offered through the USDA, though your food inspector post is typically at a privately owned processing plants. Depending on where your food inspector post is, you may be stationed at such locations as a slaughterhouse, egg processing plant or oyster shucking plant. You may have to work in unsanitary and potentially hazardous conditions surrounded by powerful smells and a lot of food waste.
Years of Experience and Salary
Food inspectors earn a median annual salary of $39,910 as of May 2017, which means that half earn more than this, while the other half earns less. The top 10 percent of food inspectors earn more than $62,000, while the bottom 10 percent earns less than $26,000. Salary for a food inspector post tends to increase with time and experience.
Job Growth Trend
Job opportunities for all agriculture and food science technicians, including food inspectors, is expected to increase 6 percent over the next decade, about the average across all industries. Increased demand is due to a need for improved food-processing techniques, more organic and pesticide-free products, and less waste creation.
What Classes Would You Take to Be a Health Inspector?
The job of a health inspector is to protect the health and safety of the public. Although the licensing requirements for health inspectors vary depending on the state and local jurisdiction, all individuals working in the field must meet certain basic requirements. Most states and county health departments mandate that you pass a registration exam before you can work as a health inspector. Educational requirements differ among employers and the level of position you hold.
Consider the Course Work
Basic course work for health inspectors includes biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics at the high school level. Individuals who go on to pursue a postsecondary education in the field of occupational safety and health usually earn degrees in a science or technical field. A core course requirement includes occupational safety and health. Other courses that may meet eligibility requirements include anatomy, industrial hygiene and public health.
Degree programs offer courses in management principles and business technology along with general education electives. Students take courses that cover OSHA regulations, industrial hygiene, accident investigation and prevention, and hazardous materials management.The U.S. Department of Labor provides an overview of relevant educational programs ranging from certificates to doctorates.
Degree Programs Vary
Individuals who want to work as health inspectors have the option of completing a certificate program, earning an associate degree or completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree program. Health inspectors typically earn a bachelor’s degree in occupational health, a natural science or environmental sciences. Whether or not you earn a degree, you need to complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of natural sciences to work as a health inspector.
A bachelor’s degree can be in any major, although the curriculum should focus on courses relevant to the field of occupational safety and health. Those individuals who plan to seek certification must earn an associate degree in environmental safety or health or a bachelor’s degree to qualify. All health inspectors, regardless of their level of education, must be knowledgeable of the applicable federal and state laws, as well as environmental and health regulations.
On-the-Job Training is Critical
In addition to their formal education, health inspectors receive on-the-job training. The kind of hands-on training you receive depends on the type of work environment that you inspect. For example, restaurants and office workplaces must meet standards that are different from industrial work sites. Many employers prefer to hire job applicants who have had prior work experience, even if the practical experience comes from an internship or externship required to successfully complete an academic program.
Continuing Education is a Must
Experience working as a health inspector is a requirement for certification. While individuals working in the field of occupational safety and health are not required to obtain certification, many employers eventually encourage you to become certified. Health inspectors obtain certification through accrediting programs such as the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Several other certifications are available to safety workers. To renew your certification, you must complete 12 to 15 hours of continuing education credits each year. You are required to be re-certified every one to two years.
