Food Processing Methods

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Introduction
Food processing refers to the process of turning a number of raw materials into a product that can be sold or used for human consumption. An example of this would be corn flakes, the raw material is the corn itself but the product sold on the selves is combination of a number of different ingredients with main ingredient being corn. These are a large scale example of food processing which would normally take place in a factory or plant. The raw materials are processed at an industrial level and are sold to consumers as products in supermarkets. However there are smaller, more common everyday methods of food processing which include freezing or cooking food. These are also methods of food processing everyone would be familiar with …show more content…

Canning: Is a popular method of food preservation because it is a very safe method if practised properly. The food product is placed into a can which is then placed into a container and heated up to a high temperature to remove micro - organisms and prevent them from forming for a period of time. While the can is being warmed up the air inside the can is driven out creating a vacuum and this helps to seal the product in the can.
2. Freezing: A quick and easy method of preservation. Commonly used in the home to preserve vegetables and fruits. Freezing food can help it stay riper for longer, freezing stops micro - organisms from forming in the food because the temperature in the freezer is so low bacteria can’t form, it can also help kill any bacteria that may be in the food already. Vegetables should be blanched before they are placed into the freezer because it helps keep the flavour in as well as the texture and colour of the …show more content…

Milk before it is pasteurised can contain bacteria like Salmonella, E.coili and Listeria which can be dangerous to humans, all milk sold to humans must be pasteurised before it is sold in supermarkets. Like most of the methods of preservation I have already discussed pasteurisation involves applying heat to the food product. The heat destroys the micro-organisms that spoil the milk and make it unsuitable for human consumption. The temperature and times levels for this method of preservation vary due to the pH level in the milk. The temperature level tend to be between 60°c and 100°c, a very common method used is to heat the milk to 72°c for 15 seconds, then the milk is cooled. However this is not guaranteed to kill all bacteria at this temperature it is important to refrigerate the milk and all dairy products after it has been pasteurised. Milk can be kept fresh for 5 to 15 days also as it is keep

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