Food processing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Not to be confused with Food processor. See also: Food manufacture

Industrial cheese production Michael Foods egg-processing plant in Wakefield, Nebraska Food processing is the transformation of raw ingredients into food, or of food into other forms. Food processing typically takes clean, harvested crops or butchered animal products and uses these to produce attractive, marketable and often long shelf-life food products. Similar processes are used to produce animal feed.

History

A form of pre-made split-pea soup that has become traditional

Grain silos in Ardrossan, Scotland

Food processing dates back to the prehistoric ages when crude processing incorporated slaughtering, fermenting, sun drying, preserving with salt, and various types of cooking (such as roasting, smoking, steaming, and oven baking). 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 exist from preindustrial revolution times such as the Cornish pasty and Haggis. During ancient times and today these are considered processing foods. Food processing has also helped create quick, nutritious meals to give to busy families. Modern food processing technology in the 19th and 20th century was largely developed to serve military needs. In 1809 Nicolas Appert invented a vacuum bottling technique that would supply food for French troops, and this contributed to the development of tinning and then 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 1862, was a significant advance in ensuring the micro-biological safety of food. In the 20th century, World War II, the space race and the rising consumer society in developed countries (including the United States) contributed to the growth of food processing with such advances as spray drying, juice concentrates, freeze drying and the introduction of artificial sweeteners, colouring agents, and preservatives such 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. 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".[1] 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 and drawbacks

Benefits

Libby's brand 'Potted Meat Food Product'

Processed seafood - fish, squid, prawn balls and simulated crab sticks (surimi)

Benefits of food processing include toxin removal, preservation, easing marketing and distribution tasks, and increasing food consistency. In addition, it increases seasonal 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, long voyages would not be possible and military campaigns would be significantly more difficult and costly to execute. Processed foods are usually less susceptible to early spoilage than fresh foods and are better suited for long distance transportation from the source to the consumer. When they were first introduced, some processed foods helped to alleviate food shortages and improved the overall nutrition of populations as it made many new foods available to the masses.[2] Processing can also reduce the incidence of food borne disease. Fresh materials, such as fresh produce and raw meats, are more likely to harbour pathogenic micro-organisms (e.g. Salmonella) capable of causing serious illnesses. The extremely varied modern diet is only truly possible on a wide scale because of food processing. Transportation of more exotic foods, as well as the elimination of much hard labour gives the modern eater easy access to a wide variety of food unimaginable to their ancestors.[3] The act of processing can often improve the taste of food significantly.[4] Mass production of food is much cheaper overall than individual production of meals from raw ingredients. Therefore, a large profit potential exists for the manufacturers and suppliers of processed food products. Individuals may see a benefit in convenience, but rarely see any direct financial cost benefit in using processed food as compared to home preparation. Processed food freed people from the large amount of time involved in preparing and cooking "natural" unprocessed foods.[5] The increase in free time allows people much more choice in life style than previously allowed. In many families the adults are working away from home and therefore there is little time for the preparation of food based on fresh ingredients. The food industry offers products that fulfill many different needs: From peeled potatoes that only have to be boiled at home to fully prepared ready meals that can be heated up in the microwave oven within a few minutes. Modern food processing also improves the quality of life for people with allergies, diabetics, and other people who cannot consume some common food elements. Food processing can also add extra nutrients such as vitamins.

Drawbacks File:Meat packages in a Romanian supermarket.jpg Meat packages in a Roman supermarket

Any processing of food can have slight effects on its nutritional density. Vitamin C, for example, is destroyed by heat and therefore canned fruits have a lower content of vitamin C than fresh ones. The USDA conducted a study in 2004, creating a nutrient retention table for several foods.[6] A cursory glance of the table indicates that, in the majority of foods, processing reduces nutrients by a minimal amount. On average any given nutrient may be reduced by as little as 5%-20%. Another safety concern in food processing is the use of food additives. The health risks of any additives will vary greatly from person to person, in example sugar as an additive would be detrimental to those with diabetes. In the European Union, only food additives (e.g., sweeteners, preservatives, stabilizers) that have been approved as safe for human consumption by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are allowed, at specified levels, for use in food products. Approved additives receive an E number (E for Europe), which at the same time simplifies communication about food additives in the list of ingredients across the different languages of the EU. Food processing is typically a mechanical process that utilizes large mixing, grinding, chopping and emulsifying equipment in the production process. These processes inherently introduce a number of contaminate risks. As a mixing bowl or grinder is used over time the food contact parts will tend to fail and fracture. This type of failure will introduce in to the product stream small to large metal contaminates. Further processing of these metal fragments will result in downstream equipment failure and the risk of ingestion by the consumer. Food manufacturers utilize industrial metal detectors to detect and reject automatically any metal fragment. Large food processors will utilize many metal detectors within the processing stream to both ensure reduced damage to processing machinery as well risk to the consumer. The first industrial level metal detector pioneered by Goring Kerr was introduced back in 1947 for Mars Incorporated. Performance parameters for food processing

Factory automation - robotics palettizing bread

When designing processes for the food industry the following performance parameters may be taken into account:

Hygiene, e.g. measured by number of micro-organisms per ml of finished product Energy efficiency measured e.g. by ton of steam per ton of sugar produced Minimization of waste, measured e.g. by percentage of peeling loss during the peeling of potatoes' Labour used, measured e.g. by number of working hours per ton of finished product Minimization of cleaning stops measured e.g. by number of hours between cleaning stops

Trends in modern food processing

This section may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. (January 2010)

Health

Reduction of fat content in final product e.g. by using baking instead of deep-frying in the production of potato chips, another processed food. Maintaining the natural taste of the product e.g. by using less artificial sweetener than was used before.

Hygiene The rigorous application of industry and government endorsed standards to minimise possible risk and hazards. The international standard adopted is HACCP. Efficiency

Rising energy costs lead to increasing usage of energy-saving technologies,[7] e.g. frequency converters on electrical drives, heat insulation of factory buildings and heated vessels, energy recovery systems, keeping a single fish frozen all the way from China to Switzerland. Factory automation systems (often Distributed control systems) reduce personnel costs and may lead to more stable production results.

Industries
Food processing industries and practices include the following:

Cannery Fish processing Industrial rendering Meat packing plant Slaughterhouse Sugar industry Vegetable packing plant

See also

Dietary supplement Food and Bioprocess Technology Food chemistry Food engineering Food fortification Food microbiology Food packaging Food preservation

Food portal

Food rheology Food safety Food science Food storage Food supplements Food technology Material handling Nutraceutical Pink slime

Basics for Handling Food Safely

Shopping Storage Preparation Thawing Cooking Serving Leftovers Refreezing Cold Storage Chart

Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential to prevent foodborne illness. You can't see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. In every step of food preparation, follow the four Fight BAC! guidelines to keep food safe:

Clean Wash hands and surfaces often. Separate Don't cross-contaminate. Cook Cook to proper temperatures. Chill Refrigerate promptly.

Shopping

Purchase refrigerated or frozen items after selecting your non-perishables. Never choose meat or poultry in packaging that is torn or leaking. Do not buy food past "Sell-By," "Use-By," or other expiration dates.

[Top of Page] Storage

Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 F). Check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer with an appliance thermometer. The refrigerator should be at 40 F or below and the freezer at 0 F or below. Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats within 2 days; other beef, veal, lamb, or pork, within 3 to 5 days. Perishable food such as meat and poultry should be wrapped securely to maintain quality and to prevent meat juices from getting onto other food. To maintain quality when freezing meat and poultry in its original package, wrap the package again with foil or plastic wrap that is recommended for the freezer. In general, high-acid canned food such as tomatoes, grapefruit, and pineapple can be stored on the shelf for 12 to 18 months. Low-acid canned food such as meat, poultry, fish, and most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, and dry place. Discard cans that are dented, leaking, bulging, or rusted.

[Top of Page] Preparation

Always wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food. Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices away from other food. After cutting raw meats, wash cutting board, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water. Cutting boards, utensils, and countertops can be sanitized by using a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water. Marinate meat and poultry in a covered dish in the refrigerator.

[Top of Page] Thawing

Refrigerator: The refrigerator allows slow, safe thawing. Make sure thawing meat and poultry juices do not drip onto other food. Cold Water: For faster thawing, place food in a leak-proof plastic bag. Submerge in cold tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately after thawing. Microwave: Cook meat and poultry immediately after microwave thawing.

[Top of Page] Cooking Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow

meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures. Ground meats: Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 F as measured with a food thermometer. Poultry: Cook all poultry to an internal temperature of 165 F as measured with a food thermometer. [Top of Page] Serving

Hot food should be held at 140 F or warmer. Cold food should be held at 40 F or colder. When serving food at a buffet, keep food hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers, and warming trays. Keep food cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice or use small serving trays and replace them often. Perishable food should not be left out more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 F).

[Top of Page] Leftovers

Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature was above 90 F). Place food into shallow containers and immediately put in the refrigerator or freezer for rapid cooling. Use cooked leftovers within 4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165 F.

[Top of Page] Refreezing Meat and poultry defrosted in the refrigerator may be refrozen before or after cooking. If thawed by other methods, cook before refreezing. [Top of Page] Cold Storage Chart These short, but safe, time limits will help keep refrigerated food from spoiling or becoming dangerous to eat. Because freezing keeps food safe indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only.

Cold Storage Chart Product Refrigerator (40 F) Eggs Fresh, in shell Raw yolks & whites Hard cooked 3 to 5 weeks 2 to 4 days 1 week Do not freeze 1 year Does not freeze well Freezer (0 F)

Liquid pasteurized eggs, egg substitutes Opened Unopened 3 days 10 days Does not freeze well 1 year

Mayonnaise, Commercial Refrigerate after opening 2 months Frozen Dinners & Entrees Keep frozen until ready to heat Deli & Vacuum-Packed Products Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, ham, tuna, & macaroni salads 3 to 4 months Do not freeze

3 to 5 days

Does not freeze well

Hot dogs & Luncheon Meats Hot dogs Opened package Unopened package 1 week 2 weeks Luncheon meat Opened package Unopened package 3 to 5 days 2 weeks Bacon & Sausage Bacon Sausage, raw from chicken, turkey, pork, beef Smoked breakfast links, patties Hard sausage pepperoni, jerky sticks 7 days 1 to 2 days 1 month 1 to 2 months 1 to 2 months 1 to 2 months 1 to 2 months 1 to 2 months

7 days

1 to 2 months

2 to 3 weeks Summer sausage labeled "Keep Refrigerated"

1 to 2 months

Opened Unopened

3 weeks 3 months Corned Beef

1 to 2 months 1 to 2 months

Corned beef, in pouch with pickling juices

5 to 7 days Ham, canned labeled "Keep Refrigerated"

Drained, 1 month

Opened Unopened

3 to 5 days 6 to 9 months Ham, fully cooked

1 to 2 months Do not freeze

Vacuum sealed at plant, undated, unopened Vacuum sealed at plant, dated, unopened Whole Half Slices

2 weeks

1 to 2 months

"Use-By" date on package 7 days 3 to 5 days 3 to 4 days Hamburger, Ground & Stew Meat

1 to 2 months 1 to 2 months 1 to 2 months 1 to 2 months

Hamburger & stew meat Ground turkey, veal, pork, lamb, & mixtures of them

1 to 2 days

3 to 4 months

1 to 2 days

3 to 4 months

Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork Steaks Chops Roasts Variety meats tongue, liver, heart, kidneys, chitterlings Pre-stuffed, uncooked pork chops, lamb chops, or chicken breasts stuffed with dressing Soups & Stews Vegetable or meat added 3 to 5 days 3 to 5 days 3 to 5 days 6 to 12 months 4 to 6 months 4 to 12 months

1 to 2 days

3 to 4 months

1 day

Does not freeze well

3 to 4 days Fresh Poultry

2 to 3 months

Chicken or turkey, whole Chicken or turkey, pieces Giblets

1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days Cooked Meat and Poultry Leftovers

1 year 9 months 3 to 4 months

Cooked meat & meat casseroles Gravy & meat broth Fried chicken Cooked poultry

3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days

2 to 3 months 2 to 3 months 4 months 4 to 6 months

casseroles Poultry pieces, plain Poultry pieces in broth, gravy Chicken nuggets, patties 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days Other Cooked Leftovers Pizza, cooked Stuffing, cooked 3 to 4 days 3 to 4 days 1 to 2 months 1 month 4 months 6 months 1 to 3 months

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Last Modified: May 9, 2012