Food Processing Workers, All Other

Detail oriented. Workers must be able to detect small changes in the quality or quantity of food products. They must also follow health and safety standards to avoid injury and prevent food contamination.

Physical stamina. Workers stand for long periods as they tend machines and monitor the production process.

Physical strength. Food processing equipment workers must be able to lift or move heavy boxes of ingredients, which may weigh up to 50 pounds.

Math skills. Workers may need math skills in order to accurately mix specific quantities of ingredients.

Job Details

What Food Processing Equipment Workers Do

A food batchmaker stirs curd to make cheese.

Food processing equipment workers operate machinery that mixes, cooks, or processes ingredients for manufacturing food products.

Duties

Food processing equipment workers typically do the following:

Set up, start, or load food processing equipment
Check, weigh, and mix ingredients according to recipes
Set and control temperatures, flow rates, and pressures of machinery
Monitor and adjust ingredient mixes during production processes
Observe and regulate equipment gauges and controls
Record batch production data
Clean workspaces and equipment according to health and safety standards
Check final products to ensure quality

Food processing equipment workers often have different duties depending on the type of machinery they use or the goods they process. Job titles may be specific to the type of food workers produce.

Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders run equipment that uses dry heat to make food or tobacco products. For example, coffee roasters follow recipes and tend machines to produce standard or specialty coffees; dryers of fruits and vegetables operate machines that produce raisins, prunes, and other dehydrated foods.

Food batchmakers operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients to produce shelf-stable, refrigerated, or frozen foods. For example, cheese makers load raw ingredients into machinery, monitoring the temperature and consistency throughout the production process; candy makers may operate machinery to shape, stretch, or mold lollipops, gumdrops, and other sweets.

Food cooking machine operators and tenders oversee equipment that makes steamed, fried, boiled, or related food products. For example, dumpling machine operators set up and monitor commercial steamers and potato chip manufacturing workers may operate frying equipment.

Other food processing equipment workers operate machines that mix spices, mill grains, or extract oil from seeds.

Work Environment

Food and tobacco processing workers held about 269,200 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up food and tobacco processing workers was distributed as follows:

Food batchmakers	171,500
Food processing workers, all other	48,800
Food cooking machine operators and tenders	27,300
Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders	21,500

The largest employers of food and tobacco processing workers were as follows:

Food manufacturing	76%
Employment services	6

Food manufacturing facilities are typically large, open-floor areas with loud machinery. When operating cooking equipment, workers are frequently exposed to high temperatures. When working with goods that need to be refrigerated or frozen, they may be exposed to cold temperatures for long periods.

Depending on the type of food being processed, workers may be required to wear ear protection to guard against hearing loss in noisy facilities. They also may wear masks, hairnets, or gloves to prevent product contamination.

Workers usually stand during their shifts while tending machines or observing the production process. Loading, unloading, or cleaning equipment may require lifting, bending, and reaching.

Injuries and Illnesses

Food processing workers, all other, have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. ("All other" titles represent occupations with a wide range of characteristics that do not fit into any of the other detailed occupations.) Working around hot liquids or machinery that cuts or presses can be dangerous. Common injuries include cuts or result from slips and falls.. To reduce the risks of injuries, workers are required to wear protective clothing and nonslip shoes.

Work Schedules

Most food processing equipment workers are employed full time; part-time work may be common for food cooking machine operators and tenders. Because of production schedules, shift work is common and may include early mornings, evenings, or nights.

Some food processing positions are seasonal.

Getting Started

Education:

How to Become a Food Processing Equipment Worker

food and tobacco processing workers image

Experienced workers show trainees how to properly use equipment.

Education requirements vary for food processing equipment workers. Some typically need no formal education credential; however, others typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Food processing equipment workers usually learn their skills through on-the-job training.

Education

Employers may require or prefer that applicants to food processing equipment jobs have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Because these workers often adjust the quantity of ingredients that go into a mix, math and reading skills are helpful.

Training

Food processing equipment workers learn on the job. Training may last from a few weeks to a few months. During training, workers learn health and safety rules related to the type of food that they process, as well as how to operate specific equipment and detect malfunctions.

Experienced workers typically teach trainees how to properly use and care for equipment.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of food processing equipment workers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 39,900 openings for food processing equipment workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Projected employment of food processing equipment workers varies by occupation (see table). Population growth and continuing consumer preference for convenience foods are expected to drive the demand for food, which will in turn require more food processing workers to produce it. Some food manufacturing companies use equipment that automatically weighs and mixes ingredients, which requires fewer workers to operate machines.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about food processing equipment workers, visit

Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International (BCTGM)

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of food processing equipment workers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Agricultural and Food Science Technicians	Agricultural and food science technicians assist agricultural and food scientists.	Associate's degree	$46,140
Bakers	Bakers mix ingredients according to recipes in order to make breads, pastries, and other baked goods.	No formal educational credential	$32,780
Butchers	Butchers cut, trim, and package meat for retail sale.	No formal educational credential	$36,930
Cooks	Cooks season and prepare foods, including soups, salads, entrees, and desserts.	See How to Become One	$30,910
Food Preparation Workers	Food preparation workers perform a variety of tasks other than cooking, such as slicing meat and brewing coffee.	No formal educational credential	$29,790
Metal and Plastic Machine Workers	Metal and plastic machine workers set up and operate equipment that cuts, shapes, and forms metal and plastic materials or pieces.	See How to Become One	$41,060