Skip to content

Food regulatory advisor

Also called food expert, food consultant, food law advisor

Food regulatory advisors are extra-judicial or judiciary technical experts. They ensure food industry practices comply with the regulatory norms. They perform audits, make diagnosis and monitor activities of inspection. These experts have expertise in food processing, food analysis, quality, safety, certification, traceability. They update, review, and approve labelling designs, develop nutrition facts panels, and ensure that products and labels meet appropriate standards and regulations.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospects41 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Health associate professionalsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,500 (Bulgaria) to €8,200 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Health associate professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually post-secondary or a short degree4 in 10 have a degree. 7 in 10 train through vocational routes.Health associate professionalsWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates · ILO

What you'd do

Environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates · ILO
  • Advising employers‚Äô and workers‚Äô representatives on the implementation of government and other rules and regulations concerning occupational safety and the working environment
  • Inspecting places of work to ensure that the working environment, machinery and equipment conform to government and other rules, regulations and standards related to sanitation and/or occupational and environmental health and safety
  • Giving advice on environmental sanitary problems and techniques
  • Inspecting places of work and, by interviews, observations and other means, obtaining information about work practices and accidents to determine compliance with safety rules and regulations
  • Inspecting areas of production, processing, transport, handling, storage and sale of products to ensure conformity with government and other rules, regulations and standards
  • Advising enterprises and the general public on the implementation of government and other rules and regulations concerning hygiene, sanitation, purity and grading of primary products, food, drugs, cosmetics and similar goods
  • Inspecting establishments to ensure that they conform to government and other rules and regulations concerning emission of pollutants and disposal of dangerous wastes
  • Initiating action to maintain or improve hygiene and prevent pollution of water, air, food or soil
  • Promoting preventive and corrective measures such as control of disease carrying organisms and of harmful substances in the air, hygienic food handling, proper disposal of waste and cleaning of public places
  • Estimating quantities and costs of materials and labour required for health, safety and sanitation remediation projects
Handle communications in the food processing industryConduct shelf studiesKeep up-to-date with regulationsParticipate as observer in different types of audits in the food sectorPerform strategic planning in the food industry+ 13 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors and outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Agricultural Inspectors"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

Many jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as health associate professionals in the EU
6.04m6.64m7.71m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
921,000 new jobs 1,847,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Health associate professionals41
All jobs29
Right now
4 of 27 countries report a shortage of environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates, 3 a surplus.
Environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,500 a month (Bulgaria) to €8,200 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among technicians and associate professionals in the EU, women earn 16% less per hour than men. Technicians and associate professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually post-secondary or a short degree

Post-secondary training or a short degree in food processing is the usual route.

Highest qualification of health associate professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 37%Vocational 49%General secondary 6%Basic schooling 8%
Field that teaches it
Food processing
Vocational route, EU
7 in 10 trainees in this field
Engineering graduates in a matching job
73% in the EU

949 institutions in the EU offer engineering bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.24 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Advising enterprises and the general public on the implementation of government and other rules and regulations concerning hygiene, sanitation, purity and grading of primary products, food, drugs, cosmetics and similar goods0.28
Giving advice on environmental sanitary problems and techniques0.28
Estimating quantities and costs of materials and labour required for health, safety and sanitation remediation projects0.25
Inspecting places of work to ensure that the working environment, machinery and equipment conform to government and other rules, regulations and standards related to sanitation and/or occupational and environmental health and safety0.25
Inspecting establishments to ensure that they conform to government and other rules and regulations concerning emission of pollutants and disposal of dangerous wastes0.25
Inspecting areas of production, processing, transport, handling, storage and sale of products to ensure conformity with government and other rules, regulations and standards0.25
Advising employers’ and workers’ representatives on the implementation of government and other rules and regulations concerning occupational safety and the working environment0.24
Inspecting places of work and, by interviews, observations and other means, obtaining information about work practices and accidents to determine compliance with safety rules and regulations0.24
Promoting preventive and corrective measures such as control of disease carrying organisms and of harmful substances in the air, hygienic food handling, proper disposal of waste and cleaning of public places0.23
Initiating action to maintain or improve hygiene and prevent pollution of water, air, food or soil0.14

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for environmental and occupational health inspectors and associates. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).