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Interesting Facts about Food Processing Technology
To convert raw food into processed food that has been cooked and preserved, a special type of food processing technology is required. Today, methods used to preserve foods for both humans and animals has advanced and evolved. Every day, people consume food that has gone through processing, whether in the form of fruits and vegetables, poultry, fish, beef, pork, grains, and even dairy items.
In addition to using this technology for providing consumers with a convenient and cost-saving way to store food, various food items are also packaged to trap in nutrients, meaning the consumer gets the nutritional value. Typically, food that has undergone processing makes the cooking process much easier and for people working full-time, this technology saves a tremendous amount of time. Food goes through a variety of processing phases, depending on the desired outcome.
• Preservation – For this technology, food is heated to a specific temperature as a means of killing any microorganisms. The exact technology used would depend on the food involved, as well as the company but most often, preservation involves freezing, oxidation, pasteurization, or drying.
• Drying – Food processing also involves drying, a technology used to reduce water content in the food to help with preservation. With less water, bacteria grow at a much slower pace. For instance, common foods that are dried would include cereal, beans, rice, and oats.
• Smoking – Another part of processing for certain foods is the smoking phase. Usually, smoking is done sometimes to meat, poultry, or fish. With this, natural or artificial smoke is used to enhance flavor, as well as preserve food without it being cooked.
• Freezing – Interestingly, freezing is a highly common technology used for preserving and processing all types of food. Although most people are fully aware that meat can be frozen, many people are surprised at how many different types of foods can be frozen.
• Vacuum Packs – For processing such as this, the food is placed inside airtight containers and then a special technology is used to draw out air. The result is an airtight bag or bottle, which preserves the food from rotting in that bacteria cannot grow.
• Salting –For some meat, salting is done as a treatment that involves extracting air from the food using osmosis.
• Sugaring – Frequently used for fresh fruit, sugaring is also used for processing, keeping food fresh, sometimes for years.
• Pickling – Finally, a very old technology used for processing food is called pickling, which is still widely used today. Food is first cooked in chemicals to destroy microorganisms and then other ingredients are added to include ethanol, brine, vegetable oil, and vinegar.