Food technologist vs quality control chemist

The differences between food technologists and quality control chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food technologist has an average salary of $62,229, which is higher than the $58,892 average annual salary of a quality control chemist.

The top three skills for a food technologist include food safety, food preparation and regulatory compliance. The most important skills for a quality control chemist are QC, HPLC, and lab equipment.

Food technologist vs quality control chemist overview

	Food Technologist	Quality Control Chemist
Yearly salary	$62,229	$58,892
Hourly rate	$29.92	$28.31
Growth rate	8%	6%
Number of jobs	103,677	90,467
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Average age	40	42
Years of experience	4	-

What does a food technologist do?

A food technologist is responsible for developing safe and healthy food products, managing convenient food manufacturing processes, and ensuring that the procedures adhere to internal guidelines and state regulations. Food technologists identify ways to improve food preservation methods, as well as strategizing in consumer-friendly packaging and distribution processes. They also research the current food trends and technology advancements according to public demands that would generate more revenue resources and increase the business' profits. A food technologist studies the product's reviews and analyzes techniques for more efficient product preparation.

What does a quality control chemist do?

A Quality Control Chemist uses chemistry lab skills to test and measure materials, usually in a manufacturing or pharmaceutical field. They analyze samples using scientific equipment, prepare study protocols, collect data, and identify and investigate abnormal test results.

Food technologist vs quality control chemist salary

Food technologists and quality control chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Technologist	Quality Control Chemist
Average salary	$62,229	$58,892
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $98,000	Between $45,000 And $75,000
Highest paying City	Chicago, IL	North Kingstown, RI
Highest paying state	New York	Vermont
Best paying company	LexisNexis Reed Tech	Hallstar
Best paying industry	Health Care	Manufacturing

Differences between food technologist and quality control chemist education

There are a few differences between a food technologist and a quality control chemist in terms of educational background:

	Food Technologist	Quality Control Chemist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Most common major	Food Science	Chemistry
Most common college	Cornell University	University of Southern California

Food technologist vs quality control chemist demographics

Here are the differences between food technologists' and quality control chemists' demographics:

	Food Technologist	Quality Control Chemist
Average age	40	42
Gender ratio	Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9%	Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 12.0% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 21.4% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	19%	5%

Differences between food technologist and quality control chemist duties and responsibilities

Food technologist example responsibilities.

Develop and process data and presentations and manage technical documents for FDA & USDA.
Organize schedules for employees and set payroll -Provide direction and solve employee problems -Be extremely personable & manage stock control
Train and supervise employees GMP and GHP.
Create process controls and preventative actions through HACCP system/principles.
Prepare and package foods according to USDA standards for consumer consumption
Maintain up to date knowledge of USDA regulations, policies and appropriate product technology.

Quality control chemist example responsibilities.

Manage investigations of out of spec results and complaints in CatsWEB CAPA management system.
Verify raw material compliance utilizing ICP, FTIR, and USP wet chemistry methods.
Perform analysis utilizing UV/VIS, FTIR, Karl Fischer, and TLC.
Perform the potency studies, dissolution, and uniformity, by using HPLC, GC, and UV/VIS.
Analyze active ingredients in sunscreens, volatile organics, and preservatives utilizing ICP, GC, NIRS, and HPLC.
Execute dissolution and disintegration testing and microbiology testing with compliance requirements within GMP, GLP, and FDA regulatory environments.

Food technologist vs quality control chemist skills

Common food technologist skills

Food Safety, 16%
Food Preparation, 8%
Regulatory Compliance, 5%
Cleanliness, 4%
Safety Standards, 4%
Laboratory Equipment, 4%

Common quality control chemist skills

QC, 9%
HPLC, 7%
Lab Equipment, 7%
GMP, 6%
Analytical Methods, 5%
UV/Vis, 4%

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Food Technologist vs Quality Control Chemist

Updated January 8, 2025

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