TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN FOOD PROCESSING

~Food processing is the process of preparing food to make it more attractive, more palatable and to last longer. ~Food has to be processed so that it can withstand long periods of transportation and storage. ~One of the main purpose of food processing is to preserve food by overcoming the factors that cause food spoilage

Food spoilage is caused by :

~The action of microorganism in food, especially decomposing bacteria and fungi which act on carbohydrates and proteins in food to produce carbon dioxide, water, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and other organic substances. The presence of these substances spoil the food and sometimes make it toxic. ~The oxidation of food due to the oxygen reacting with enzymes and chemical released by the cells in the food. Oily food can also become rancid, smell and taste different as a result of oxidation. Rancid food is harmful to the body .

*to *to ensure there will be

the continuous supply of food for

Food has to be processed :

~To extend their lifespan so that they can be stored for future use. ~To avoid wastage. ~To prevent the spread of diseases due to contamination of food,which can cause food poisoning. ~To ensure there will be the continuous supply of food for the population. ~To increase their commercial value. ~To prevent the bacteria and fungal decay. ~So that they can withstand long periods of transportation and storage. ~So that food can be supplied to the local or global market all year around in good condition. ~To diversify the uses of food substances. For example , milk has been processed to produce a variety of dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter and chocolates.

RELATING THE FOOD PROCESSING

METHODS WITH FACTORS CAUSING FOOD SPOILAGE

~Microorganisms require nutrients,water,oxygen and a suitable temperature for optimal growth and reproduction ~Microorganisms can only survive in condition with optimum pH and solute concentrations as these will not destroy them ~Hence,food can be preserved by destroying the microorganisms present in the food or by stopping their activities

Food Processing
Ultra-high-temperature processing
Ultra-high temperature processing, (less often) ultra-heat treatment (both abbreviated UHT), or ultra-pasteurization is the sterilization of food by heating it for an extremely short period, around 12 seconds, at a temperature exceeding 135C (275F), which is the temperature required to kill spores in milk.The most common UHT product is milk, but the process is also used for fruit juices, cream, soy milk, yogurt, wine, soups, and stews.[1] UHT milk was invented in the 1960s, and became generally available for consumption in the 1970s. High heat during the UHT process can cause Maillard browning and change the taste and smell of dairy products. UHT milk has a typical shelf life of six to nine months, until opened. It can be contrasted with HTST pasteurization (high temperature/short time), in which the milk is heated to 72C (161.6F) for at least 15 seconds.

Nutrition
~Calories UHT milk contains the same number of calories as pasteurized milk. ~Calcium UHT and pasteurized milk contain the same amount of calcium. ~Folate UHT milk contains 1 g of folate per 100g, while pasteurized milk contains 9 g. Vitamin B12, Vitamin C and Thiamin Some nutritional loss can occur in UHT milk.

Popularity

UHT milk has seen large success in much of Europe, where across the continent as a whole 7 out of 10 Europeans drink it regularly.In fact, in a hot country such as Spain, UHT is preferred due to high costs of refrigerated transportation and "inefficient cool cabinets." Europe's largest manufacturer, Parmalat, had $6 billion of sales in 1999. However, these figures conceal wide variations as in most European countries High Temperature/Short Time (HTST) pasteurized milk is more popular.UHT is less popular in Northern Europe and Scandinavia, particularly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. It is also less popular in Greece, where fresh pasteurized milk is the most popular type of milk. In June 1993, Parmalat introduced its UHT milk to the United States.However in the North American market, consumers have been uneasy about consuming milk which is not delivered under refrigeration, and have been much more reluctant to buy it.[citation needed] To combat this, Parmalat is developing UHT milk in old-fashioned containers.Many milk products in North American foods are made using UHT milk, such as McDonalds McFlurries.UHT milk is also used on airplanes. UHT milk is sold on American military bases in Puerto Rico.and Korea[who?]due to limited availability of milk supplies and refrigeration. UHT milk gained popularity in Puerto Rico as an alternative to pasteurized milk due to environmental factors.For example, power outages after a hurricane can last up to 2 weeks, during which time regular pasteurized milk would spoil from lack of refrigeration.

Environment
In 2008, the UK government proposed a 90% UHT milk production target by 2020 which they believed would significantly cut the need for refrigeration, and thus benefit the environment by reducing green house

emissions.However the milk industry opposed this, and the proposition was quickly abandoned. In Thailand, environmental concerns relate to UHT milk cartons. Tetra Pak (Thai) Ltd. is due to "establish Southeast Asia's first recycling plant for used UHT drink containers".