Food safety inspector to food analyst

• already held analyse characteristics of food products at reception skill
• already held analyse samples of food and beverages skill
• already held apply GMP skill
• already held apply HACCP skill
• already held apply requirements concerning manufacturing of food and beverages skill
• already held assess quality characteristics of food products skill
• already held follow hygienic procedures during food processing skill
• already held food safety principles knowledge
• already held food safety standards knowledge
• already held food toxicity knowledge
• already held identify the factors causing changes in food during storage skill
• already held infections in food knowledge
• already held interpret data in food manufacturing skill
• already held keep up-to-date with regulations skill
• already held laboratory-based sciences knowledge
• already held quality assurance methodologies knowledge
• already held set quality assurance objectives skill
• already held assess environmental parameters at the workplace for food products skill
• already held check bottles for packaging skill
• already held food fraud knowledge
• already held food homogenisation knowledge
• already held food legislation knowledge
• already held investigate customer complaints of food products skill
• already held label samples skill
• already held perform food safety checks skill
• already held risks associated to physical, chemical, biological hazards in food and beverages knowledge

• optional, not held analyse trends in the food and beverage industries optional
• optional, not held assess shelf life of food products optional
• optional, not held check quality of products on the production line optional
• optional, not held detect microorganisms optional
• optional, not held develop new food products optional
• optional, not held develop standard operating procedures in the food chain optional
• optional, not held fermentation processes of food optional
• optional, not held follow evaluation procedures of materials at reception optional
• optional, not held follow-up lab results optional
• optional, not held food products composition optional
• optional, not held molecular gastronomy optional
• optional, not held monitor developments used for food industry optional
• optional, not held participate in the development of new food products optional
• optional, not held perform food risk analysis optional
• optional, not held perform microbiological analysis in food optional
• optional, not held preserve milk samples optional
• optional, not held analyse packaging requirements optional
• optional, not held analyse work-related written reports optional
• optional, not held apply scientific methods optional
• optional, not held conduct research on food waste prevention optional
• optional, not held design indicators for food waste reduction optional
• optional, not held develop food waste reduction strategies optional
• optional, not held mitigate waste of resources optional
• optional, not held perform sensory evaluation of food products optional
• optional, not held statistics optional
• optional, not held write work-related reports optional

• not needed by the target role advocate for consumer matters in production plants skill
• not needed by the target role apply foreign language for international trade skill
• not needed by the target role assess HACCP implementation in plants skill
• not needed by the target role be at ease in unsafe environments skill
• not needed by the target role check quality of raw materials skill
• not needed by the target role communicate commercial and technical issues in foreign languages skill
• not needed by the target role consider economic criteria in decision making skill
• not needed by the target role cultural practices regarding animal parts sorting knowledge
• not needed by the target role cultural practices regarding animal slaughter knowledge
• not needed by the target role develop food policy skill
• not needed by the target role ensure correct goods labelling skill
• not needed by the target role european food safety policy knowledge
• not needed by the target role food and beverage industry knowledge
• not needed by the target role food authentication techniques knowledge
• not needed by the target role food policy knowledge
• not needed by the target role foodborne diseases knowledge
• not needed by the target role give instructions to staff skill
• not needed by the target role handle communications in the food processing industry skill
• not needed by the target role health, safety and hygiene legislation knowledge
• not needed by the target role identify hazards in the workplace skill
• not needed by the target role lead inspections skill
• not needed by the target role legislation about animal origin products knowledge
• not needed by the target role liaise with managers skill
• not needed by the target role maintain relationships with government agencies skill
• not needed by the target role maintain updated professional knowledge skill
• not needed by the target role manage challenging work conditions during food processing operations skill
• not needed by the target role manage communications with food industry governmental bodies skill
• not needed by the target role manage health and safety standards skill
• not needed by the target role manage the use of additives in food manufacturing skill
• not needed by the target role perform inspection analysis skill
• not needed by the target role perform quality audits skill
• not needed by the target role work in a food processing team skill
• not needed by the target role work in cold environments skill
• not needed by the target role write routine reports skill

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

• still to learn food science required
• still to learn ingredient threats required
• still to learn pathogenic microorganisms in food required
• optional, not held fermentation processes of food optional
• optional, not held food products composition optional
• optional, not held molecular gastronomy optional
• optional, not held statistics optional

Yes, and it is a substantial move. A food safety inspector already covers 42% of what a food analyst is expected to do: 26 skills carry over, 17 of which the food analyst role treats as required.

19 required skills are missing, plus 26 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is conduct food tests.

Its learning distance is 69.7 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.