INTRODUCTION TO FOOD

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

 FOOD SCIENCE and FOOD
TECHNOLOGY

Food Science is the discipline in which biology,

physical sciences, and engineering are used to
study the nature of foods, the causes of their
deterioration, and the principles underlying food
processing.
 FOOD SCIENCE and FOOD
TECHNOLOGY

• Food Technology is the application of

food science to the selection,
preservation, processing, packaging,
distribution, and use of safe, nutritious,
and wholesome food.
 The Food Scientist
• A Food Scientist studies the physical,
microbiological, and chemical makeup of food.
Depending on their area of specialization, Food
Scientists may develop ways to process, preserve,
package, or store food, according to industry and
government specifications and regulations.
• Consumers seldom think of the vast array of foods
and the research and development that has resulted in
the means to deliver tasty, nutritious, safe, and
convenient foods.
 FOOD RESEARCH
• Food Research is the careful, systematic study,
investigation, and compilation of information
about foods and their components.
 FOOD MANUFACTURING

• Food Manufacturing is the mass production of

food products from raw animal and plant
materials utilizing principles of food
technology.
 FOOD INDUSTRY

• In terms of value of shipments, food

processing is the largest manufacturing
industry in the United States.
 Definition food science & technology

Food Science
• "Food Science is the discipline in which the biological and
physical sciences and engineering are used to study the
nature of foods, the causes of their deterioration, and the
principles underlying food processing."

Food Technology
• "Food Technology is the application of food science to the
selection, preservation, processing, packaging, distribution,
and use of safe, nutritious, and wholesome food."
 Food Science and Technology

Food Science and Technology is the

understanding and application of Science to
satisfy the needs of society for sustainable
food quality, safety and security.
 Definition of Food Science & technology
• Food technology is the application of the
principles and facts of science, engineering,
and mathematics to the processing,
preservation, storage, and utilization of foods.
• Food science deals with the acquisition of new
knowledge to elucidate the course of reactions
or changes occurring in foods, whether natural
or induced by handling procedures.
(From: McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of Food
Science and Technology, 1992, McGraw Hill.)
 Scope of Food Science & Technology

• Food Science and Technology developed as a

discipline to systematically organize and link the
various kinds of knowledge which are necessary
to inform human activity in food handling,
processing, distribution and marketing.
 Scope of Food Science & Technology-contd
• Food science draws on research and applies principles and
practices from a broad spectrum of applied and basic
sciences, including:
biology (botany, bacteriology, microbiology, mycology),
chemistry (biochemistry; physical, analytical, and organic
chemistry),
physics (rheology, thermodynamics, cryogenics,
radiophysics, ultrasonics),
nutrition,
psychology (sensory behaviors),
medicine (metabolism, toxicology, heart diseases), and
economics.
 Scope of Food Science & Technology

• Food technology applies :

1. the principles and concepts of engineering to
problems of food handling and processing, and
2. studies the interrelationships between the
properties of materials and the changing
methods of handling and manufacturing them.
 Food Business & Food Technology

The food business and food technology are

practically inseparable.
•
 Food Business
The food business may be characterized as:
• vulnerable to spoilage,
• high volume,
• low margin,
• multiple products,
• transportation intensive; and
• end user marketing intensive.
 Food Business-contd

Since WWII the value added part of the food

industry has increased steadily, and in 1980
surpassed agriculture's contribution.
• There is great emphasis on speed and
efficiency in production, and on optimization
of the food system from production through
consumption.
 Food Business-contd

• It has even been predicted that "nutrient

delivery packages", customized for particular
situations, will be developed to take the place
of traditional "meals".
 Relate research areas

1.Biotechnology to produce new strains of plants for

foods and more efficient manufacture of food
components;
2 Molecular and structural properties of foods and how
they affect the conversion, processing, distribution,
storage and acceptance of foods;
3 Biosensors to monitor food operations; and
development of robot technology in food
manufacturing.
Components of of Food Science and
Technology
 Food analysis and chemistry

• Physical, organic and biochemical properties

of food constituents at the molecular level.
• Techniques (gravimetric, volumetric and
spectrophotometric) used by food analysts for
proteins; carbohydrates; lipids, fats oils;
colloids; enzymes; vitamins, emulsifiers, acids,
oxidants, antioxidants, pigments and flavors;
secondary plant metabolites in food.
 Food Quality Factors and their Measurement

• Appearance, textural, flavor, nutritional,

sanitary, and keeping factors;
• quality standards;
• sensory evaluation techniques and programs;
consumer acceptance; taste panels.
 Nutritive aspects of food constituents and
effect of processing and handling

Nutrient stability
• effects on nutrients of agricultural practices,
handling, processing, and storage on raw and
processed foods;
 Nutritive aspects of food constituents and
effect of processing and handling -contd

• includes effects of cultivation, harvest,

cleaning, freeze preservation, heat
processing, baking, extrusion, moisture
removal, fermentation, food additives,
ionizing radiation;.
 Nutrient Stability-contd

• effects of home preparation and commercial

foodservice practices;
• enrichment and protein complementation of
foods;
• improvement of nutritional quality through
plant breeding;
• role of the government in regulating
nutritional value of the food supply
 Food microbiology, mycology, and
toxicology

• Use of yeasts, molds, and bacteria in

production of foods and food ingredients;
• microbes in fermentation, processing and
preservation;
• spoilage microorganisms;
• indicator and foodborne pathogens;
• detection, identification and physiology of
microorganisms of importance in foods;
 Food microbiology-contd
• microbiological culture, monitoring,
testing, and sampling methods;
• tools of molecular biology in detection of
microbes;
• psychotrophs, thermopiles and radiation-
resistant microorganisms;
 Food microbiology-contd
• biology, culture and isolation, and
identification of important fungi;
quantification of fungal toxins; food
toxins and toxicity.
 Food processing and engineering
• Fundamental engineering concepts, such as:
momentum, heat, and mass-transport systems;
• engineering aspects of food processing plant
operations and automation;
• unit operations in food processing;
• food packaging materials,
 Food processing and engineering

• methods, testing and evaluation,

• effects on shelf life,
• economics;
• process control,
• optimizing automation;
• waste management;
• energy conservation;
• quality control.
 Emerging trends in Food Science &
Technology
• Increased concern about the nutritional content
of technologically derived, refined foods is
expressed by both consumers and nutritionists.
• Dietary guidelines and nutrition education
focus on partially replacing refined foods with
whole grains, legumes, and other foods which
retain their biochemical unity.
• Concern about food safety issues is very
strong.
 Emerging trends
• Food scientists are responding to these nutritional and
safety concerns in a variety of ways,
• Increased attention to food interactions and
bioavailability of nutrients,
• Improved analytical and detection methods, and
research and education in food safety.
• New product development, particularly in the area of
reduced-fat and reduced-calorie products is predicted.
 Emerging trends

• New processing technologies such as high energy

electric pulse processing, freeze concentration, and
hydrostatic pressure processing (which are often
not yet available in the U.S.) show promise.
• Biotechnology is a growing area.
 Overview of Food Science &
Technology
• Food technology implies the causing of
food materials to undergo desirable
changes of nature and/or form, while
inhibiting and if possible preventing
undesirable changes of nature and/or
form..
 Overview-contd
The application of food science to these ends involves a
knowledge and understanding of the:
• chemical composition of food materials;
• their physical, biological and biochemical nature and
behaviour;
• human nutritional requirements and nutrition factors
in food materials;
•
 Overview-contd
• the nature and behaviour of enzymes and of
micro-organisms and their action on foods;
• the interaction of food components and the effect
on these of additives and contaminants;
• any pharmacological and toxicological
considerations;
 Overview-contd
• the reactions of food materials with
atmospheric oxygen and with substances with
which they may come in contact during
handling, processing and packaging; and
• the effects of various manufacturing
operations, processes and storage conditions
on all the foregoing.
• It also requires the application of statistical
methods for the design of experimental work
and evaluation of these results.
 Impact of developments in other
Technologies on Food Science &
Technology
• For the sake of completeness it should also be
mentioned that development of food technology
draws heavily on developments in other technologies,
such as those in steel, tinplate, glass, aluminium,
plastics, engineering, instrumentation, electronics,
chemicals, and agriculture
 Job opportunities for Food Scientist &
Technologist
Food Scientists and Food Technologists may work in
• production,
• packaging technology,
• engineering,
• management, product and process development and quality
control and may
 Job opportunities-contd

• engage in research and development in

related fields.
• Both food scientists and technologists may
find their way into marketing, technical
sales, buying raw materials or
• into Government Development and
Advisory Services.