Food processing

Brief Introduction about Food Processing.

... Some food is directly obtained from plants. Food processing is the transformation raw ingredients, by
physical or chemical changes into food. It combines raw ingredients to produce marketable food products that can be
easily prepared and served by the consumer.

Historically, people were using two methods to secured food through: hunting and gathering, and
agriculture. Today, food industry is supplied most of the food energy required for the increasing population in the
world. Food processing dates back to the prehistoric ages when crude processing incorporated fermenting, sun
drying, preserving with salt, and various types of cooking, such basic food processing involved the chemical
enzymatic changes to the basic structure of food in its natural form, as well served to build a barrier against surface
microbial activity that caused rapid decade.

fer·men·ta·tion =( Pagbuburo)m the chemical breakdown of a substance by bacteria, yeasts, or other

microorganisms, typically involving effervescence and the giving off of heat.

= the process of fermentation involved in the making of beer, wine, and liquor, in which sugars are
converted to ethyl alcohol.

Benefits of food processing include preservation, toxin removal, easing marketing and distribution tasks,
and increased food consistency. In addition, it increases yearly availability of many foods, enables transportation of
delicate perishable foods across long distances and makes many kinds of foods safe to eat by de-activating spoilage
and pathogenic micro-organisms. Modern supermarkets would not exist without modern food processing techniques,
and long voyages would not be possible. Any processing of food can affect its nutritional density. The loss of nutrients
depends on the food and processing method

Food processing is the transformation of agricultural products into food, or of one form of food into other
forms. Food processing includes many forms of processing foods, from grinding grain to make raw flour to home
cooking to complex industrial methods used to make convenience foods. Classification of food processing.

1). Primary food processing is necessary to make most foods edible, and 2). secondary food processing
turns the ingredients into familiar foods, such as bread.

3). Tertiary food processing has been criticized for promoting over nutrition and obesity, containing too
much sugar and salt, too little fiber, and otherwise being unhealthful.

History food processing

Food processing dates back to the prehistoric ages when crude processing incorporated fermenting, sun drying,
preserving with salt, and various types of cooking (such as roasting, smoking, steaming, and oven baking), Such
basic food processing involved chemical enzymatic changes to the basic structure of food in its natural form, as well
served to build a barrier against surface microbial activity that caused rapid decay. Salt-preservation was especially
common for foods that constituted warrior and sailors' diets until the introduction of canning methods. Evidence
for the existence of these methods can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek, Chaldean, Egyptian and
Roman civilizations as well as archaeological evidence from Europe, North and South America and Asia. These tried
and tested processing techniques remained essentially the same until the advent of the industrial revolution.
Examples of ready-meals also date back to before the preindustrial revolution, and include dishes such as Cornish
pasty and Haggis. Both during ancient times and today in modern society these are considered processed foods.
 Modern food processing technology developed in the 19th and 20th centuries was developed in a large
part to serve military needs. In 1809 Nicolas Appert invented a hermetic bottling technique that would preserve
food for French troops which ultimately contributed to the development of tinning, and subsequently canning by
Peter Durand in 1810. Although initially expensive and somewhat hazardous due to the lead used in cans, canned
goods would later become a staple around the world. Pasteurization, discovered by Louis Pasteur in 1864, improved
the quality and safety of preserved foods and introduced the wine, beer, and milk preservation.

In the 20th century, World War II, the space race and the rising consumer society in developed countries
contributed to the growth of food processing with such advances as spray drying, evaporation, juice concentrates,
freeze drying and the introduction of artificial sweeteners, colouring agents, and such preservatives as sodium
benzoate. In the late 20th century, products such as dried instant soups, reconstituted fruits and juices, and self
cooking meals such as MRE food ration were developed. By the 20th century, automatic appliances like microwave
oven, blender, and rotimatic paved way for convenience cooking.

In western Europe and North America, the second half of the 20th century witnessed a rise in the pursuit
of convenience. Food processing companies marketed their products especially towards middle-class working
wives and mothers. Frozen foods (often credited to Clarence Birdseye) found their success in sales of juice
concentrates and "TV dinners".[6] Processors utilised the perceived value of time to appeal to the postwar
population, and this same appeal contributes to the success of convenience foods today

Benefits

Benefits of food processing include 1). toxin removal,2). preservation, 3) easing marketing and distribution tasks,
and 4) increasing food consistency. In addition, 5). it increases yearly availability of many foods, 6). enables
transportation of delicate perishable foods across long distances and 7). makes many kinds of foods safe to eat by
de-activating spoilage and pathogenic micro-organisms.

Effects of different types of food processing on micro-organisms

Processing method Principle of preservation and effect on micro-organisms

Preparation methods: No preservative action. No destruction of micro-organisms (some processes

a. Washing such as chopping or mixing may actually promote growth of micro-organisms
b. Sorting by making the food more available for them to grow on)
c. Slicing,
d. chopping,
e. mixing,
f. mincing, etc.
Heating: Heat kills all types of micro-organisms and destroys the ability of naturally
Blanching occurring enzymes to act.
Boiling Mild heating (such as blanching and pasteurization) kills some but not all
Pasteurizing micro-organisms. Different types of micro-organisms have different degrees
Canning/bottling of resistance to heat. Other types of more severe heating, such as canning,
Concentrating* kill most micro-organisms.
Extruding*
Baking/roasting
Frying*
 Removing heat: These processes slow down the rate at which micro-organisms can grow and
Freezing* enzymes can act, but processing does not destroy them. Freezing also turns
Chilling water to ice so that it is not available for micro-organisms to use. Freezing
therefore has a greater preservative effect than chilling.

Removing water: Water is needed for micro-organisms to grow and for enzymes to act and
Drying drying therefore prevents this. However, many types of micro-organisms are
Distilling not killed by lack of water and they can grow again when food is dehydrated.
Other processes*
Water is also removed by other processes (*) which has a combined effect in
preserving the food
Chemical:
Fermenting to produce acids Micro-organisms are killed by high concentrations of alcohol, salt or sugar.
or alcohol
Adding acids, sugar*, salt* or Different types of micro-organisms have different levels of resistance to these
preservatives. chemicals and in general moulds and yeasts are able to grow whereas bacteria
cannot.
mi·cro·or·gan·ism
a microscopic organism, especially a bacterium, virus, or fungus
Living organism (such as a bacteria, fungi, viruses) too small to be
seen with naked eye but visible under a microscope. .

Why process foods?

1. Prevent, reduce, eliminate infestation of food with microbes, insects or other vermin
2. Prevent microbial growth or toxin production by microbes, or reduce these risks to acceptable levels
3. Stop or slow deteriorative chemical or biochemical reactions
4. Maintain and/or improve nutritional properties of food
5. Increase storage stability or shelf life of food
6. Make food more palatable and attractive
7. Make foods for special groups of people
8. Extend edible time frame -Preservation • Make better tasting foods • Make more varieties of food
• Convenience
1. Prevent, reduce, eliminate infestation of food with microbes, insects or other vermin
1 - keep it clean
2- keep 'em out
3- kill 'em (if you can)
Processing methods designed to keep foods clean:
• packaging (primary, secondary)
• cleaning (mechanical, chemical)
• milling grain
Processing methods designed to keep 'em out:
packaging
• sanitation
• good manufacturing practices
Processing methods designed to kill 'em:
 Thermal processing – commercial sterility – 12D process for C. botulinum spores.
 pasteurization - designed to kill only
 vegetative cells of pathogens, not spores
  Non thermal processes – Radiation irradiation (gamma, ultraviolet)
– High pressure processing
– Vegetative cells only
 Chemical treatments= sanitizer chemicals, peroxides, acids,
bacteriocins (nisin), controlled
atmosphere– Spores – only if coupled with heating
 Combinations of heat, nonthermal= processes, chemicals
2. 2. Prevent microbial growth or toxin production by microbes, or reduce these risks to acceptable levels-
Processing methods
* pasteurization
• freezing
• refrigeration
 reduce water activity
– dehydration
– curing (high salt w/ or w/o nitrite) – reduces water activity
– add sugar (e.g. jams and jellies), gums or gels
 acidification including microbial fermentations
• biotechnology - natural pesticides (Bt), pesticide resistant plants (e.g. Roundup
resistant)
• preservatives
• modified atmosphere packaging (carbon dioxide - inhibits S. aureus, Salmonella sp., Yersinia
enterocolitica, E. coli, NOT C. botulinum)
• combinations of these
3. Stop or slow deteriorative chemical or biochemical reactions
 Freezing – food ‘chemically active’ until –40 F
• Refrigeration – slows but does not stop
• Dehydration • Fermentation
• Genetic engineering ('Flavrsavr' tomato)
4. Maintain and/or improve nutritional properties of food
• thermal processing (commercial sterility, pasteurization)
- blanching w/ freezing - refrigeration
• enrichment or fortification (vitamins, minerals)
• 'nutrient enhanced' (added vitamins, mineral, protein, fiber)
5. Increase storage stability or shelf life of food Processing
- thermal processing - refrigeration
- freezing - dehydration
- fermentation - curing and smoking
6. Make food more palatable and attractive
hydrogenation of fat - functional additives
- colorants including whitening agents - add components
- flavorants - humectants
- preservatives - antioxidants
- packaging
- combinations of these
7. Make foods for special groups of people
- infant food - geriatric foods (e.g. Ensure)
- nutraceuticals/ functional foods - ethnic foods
- food service/institutional products - convenience foods
- reduced calorie/fat/sodium foods
Food Safety • HAACP: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point

1. What safety risk is present for each food

– Pathogenic microorganisms • Bacteria, viruses
– Spoilage microorganisms • Fungi, bacteria
2. What foods are at greatest risk for contamination?
10 High Risk Foods More Likely to Cause Food Poisoning
 Poultry. Raw and undercooked poultry has a high-risk of causing food poisoning if it's not
handled properly. ...
 Eggs. Eggs are a versatile, convenient and nutritious protein and are part of countless
meals all around the world. ...
 Leafy Greens and Vegetables. ...
 Raw Milk. ... Cheese. ...
 Sprouts. .. Seafood. ...
 Rice Deli Meats
 Fruits
3. What are the 3 types of contamination?
three types of contaminants:
A. Biological: Examples include bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and toxins from plants,
mushrooms, and seafood.
B. Physical: Examples include foreign objects such as dirt, broken glass, metal staples, and bones.
C. Chemical: Examples include cleaners, sanitizers, and polishes.

WORLD FOOD PROBLEMS - Need for more effective and more widely used methods of Food processing &
preservation

1. Dietary Inadequacies – Under nutrition or malnutrition of large part of word’s population - Possible reasons:
technical, economic, political, cultural, religious, along with a large measure of unconcern. - The problem could be
at least temporarily solved by adequate processing/ preservation, proper distribution and willing consumption.
2. Long-term solutions a. Control of Population growth b. Increased Supply of Foods - By devoting a greater
portion of the earth’s surface for food production - By increasing the yield per acre - By developing new sources
of food - By greater exploitation of sea foods.
3. Decreased food wastage It is a critical factor affecting the world’ supply of food. Urbanization: intensifies
greatly food wastage in some areas of the world (moves consumer further away from food production and
increases the time between harvest and consumption). Moreover, the systems for distributing and preserving
food have generally not improved.

https://www.eufic.org/en/food-production/article/processed-food-qa

Best food preservation methods for fresh vegetables

The best food preservation methods for fresh vegetables depends on their degree of ripeness. To preserve the
best quality vegetables, it helps to understand the difference between maturity and ripeness. Maturity means the
produce will ripen and become ready to eat after you pick it. Ripeness occurs when the color, flavor, and texture
is fully developed. Once it is fully ripe, fresh produce begins the inevitable and declining spoilage process. Here’s a
guideline:
  Mature, slightly underripe produce is optimal for canning and pickling. Ripe produce is
best for fresh eating, drying, and freezing.
 Overripe produce is suitable for cooking and freezing; cook vegetables into soup or stew.
 Moldy or decaying produce belongs in the composter or worm bin!

To prepare fresh vegetables for preserving, always wash in plenty of running water, remove non-edible parts such
as stems and seeds, peel or trim as desired, and cut into slices or cubes. Here are several vegetable preserving
methods, from the easiest (and least expensive) to the most complicated.

Refrigerator pickles are the simplest way you can preserve fresh vegetables and extend their shelf life for a few
days. Think of them as a type of salad, or simply crunchy, mouthwatering fast food. These easy refrigerator pickle
recipes use several types of vegetables and even some fruits.

Salting is an easy and old-fashioned method for preserving vegetables such as salted cauliflower. Salting was
promoted in the early twentieth century as an alternative to canning. Many people familiar with the technique
consider salted vegetables to be far superior in taste and texture than canned or frozen ones. You must store
salted vegetables in a refrigerator (<40°F) or cold cellar where temperatures never go above 50°F. Before using
salted vegetables, you usually remove excess salt by soaking in cold water for 2 to 8 hours. You can prepare and
serve salted vegetables in the same ways you would as if they were fresh, cold in salads, simmered in soups, or
prepared as a hot vegetable side dish.

Fermenting with salt uses low salt concentration (2½% to 5% weight of the salt per weight of the food), to
promote fermentation. Sauerkraut and kimchi are perhaps the most well-known examples. But the technique can
be applied to almost any vegetable

Drying vegetables is easy to do in your conventional gas or electric oven. Electric food dehydrator appliances offer
more control than your oven. You can purchase a basic model for as little as $50. One of the best ways to use
dried vegetables is this versatile recipe for bean and pasta soup

Freezing vegetables for long term storage requires adequate packaging and a dedicated freezer appliance (known
as a deep freeze) to chill foods to at least 0°F. True freezing is not possible in the freezer compartment of your
refrigerator where the temperature typically hovers near 32°F. Treat your refrigerator-freezer like a checking
account. Use it for short term freezing of food that you plan to use within one month. To use freezing as an
effective food preservation method, routinely clean out your freezer by consuming the food.

Canning requires a modest investment in equipment and skills that are easy to learn and practice. The
fundamental tasks include choosing the right canning method, taking precautions to prevent botulism poisoning,
and preparing and processing canned foods correctly. There are two canning methods: boiling water–bath (BWB)
canning and steam-pressure canning. Which method you use depends on whether the food you plan to can is
high acid or low acid. High-acid foods include most fruits and fruit products. In addition, low acid vegetables can
be canned using tested recipes for pickles, relish, and tomato products, which contain added acid, usually
vinegar.

Pressure canning low-acid foods such as plain vegetables requires a pressure canner. A pressure canner reaches
240°F, which destroys heat-resistant organisms that can cause food poisoning, primarily botulism. Contrary to
what some cooks believe, you cannot safely put any food in a jar and process in a canner. To make foods safely,
such as canned soups and spaghetti sauce (with or without meat), be sure to use a tested recipe and prepare and
process canned foods correctly. Free, tested canning recipes are found online at the National Center for Home
Food Preservation, or by downloading the free booklet USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2009 revision