Food Processing: Objectives, Methods, Benefits & Drawbacks

Food Processing is the process of transforming agricultural products or fresh food into one or the other forms of food products. The raw materials are processed into food products either via chemical or physical processes. The various processes of food processing include processes like canning, pickling, emulsification, macerating, mincing, liquefaction, etc. Clean and harvested crops are taken or slaughtered and butchered animal products can be used for the process to produce products that are marketable, and attractive or have food products that have a high shelf life. During food processing, many nutritional properties also get affected, and in order to compensate, many additives are added to the product and this can adversely affect the health.

Read More: Enhancement in Food Production MCQ

Key Terms: Food Processing, Food Preservation, Canning, Pickling, Fermentation, Pasteurization, Freezing, Smoking, Microbes, transportation

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Objectives of Food Processing

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The main objectives of food processing are as follows:

1. Enhance the quality
2. To ensure the availability of food products throughout the year.
3. Storage of food and transportation
4. The nutritive quality of the food is to be preserved by protecting the food from microbes and other spoiling agents that can cause spoilage.
5. Safety of the food is to be ensured for future consumption.
6. Employment for a large number of the population can be provided.

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Methods of Food Processing

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Food Processing involves certain criteria like the possibility of invasion by a bacteria or a pest on the food and multiplying over the food. Proper methods are applied for proper food processing and these involve a few methods as follows:

• Canning: This is a method of food preservation in which the food is processed and stored in containers like air-tight cans or jars. Before packaging, the food is heated to a certain temperature in order to kill the microorganisms that might spoil the food. The containers are closed with the help of a vacuum seal. This process ensures a long shelf life of the product.
• Fermentation: Fermentation is a process of the conversion of carbohydrates to organic acids or alcohols. This is done by using microorganisms like yeast or bacteria under anaerobic conditions which means the process takes place in the absence of oxygen. It is majorly used for the production of alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, cider, etc. Fermentation is also used for the preservation of foods such as dry sausages, and yogurt and for raising the bread dough in the production of bread. 

• Pasteurization: The food is mildly heated to kill harmful bacteria such as pathogens in order to extend the shelf life of the food product. Pasteurization of a few food products is important to ensure the safety of the consumer. The products that are commonly pasteurized include

• Dairy Products
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Vinegar
• Syrup
• Wine
• Fruit Juices
• Canned Goods, etc.

• Smoking: The method in which the food is preserved by exposing it to the smoke from burning wood or any other material. The moisture from the food is removed which prevents the fungal and bacterial growth which will spoil the food. The fat in the food which is obtained from the animals, such as meat, fish, etc., can be reduced by smoking the food.

• Freezing: In this method, the spoilage is delayed by freezing the food item to a temperature below 0o Celsius. This prevents the growth of the microorganisms and it also slows down the activity of enzymes which causes the spoiling of the food. It is majorly used to prevent the food items like vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, or ready-to-eat meals. It has very little effect on the nutrient content of the food item. 

Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Biology Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production

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Benefits of Food Processing

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The benefits of the processing of the food items include:

1. It allows the availability of food products throughout the year. 
2. The food can be safely preserved and transported from across the globe to consumers’ homes.
3. Safety of the food item is ensured with proper labeling of the use-by-dates, storage guidances, etc. 
4. The food can be tailored as per the specific needs like people can choose to follow a vegan or a vegetarian diet. 
5. The nutritional quality of the food is also preserved by packaging and preservation techniques. 
6. It can be used to add the micronutrients into the food to address the dietary beneficiaries. It also ensures that the items that are added as substitutes are also nutritionally equivalent.

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Drawbacks of Food Processing

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The drawbacks of food processing are as follows - 

1. It removes some of the fibers, vitamins, and nutrients that are present in the food.
2. The production of food gets affected by the change in the climate and environment.
3. The food products which have exceeded their sell-by-dates are to be disposed of at the proper time. This results in food wastage. 
4. A few processed foods are genetically modified which can affect the health of the consumer.
5. Foods that contain added sugar can lead to a lot of health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and other cardiovascular problems.

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Things to Remember

1. The process of transforming natural foods into another form of food is known as Food Processing.
2. Food processing is done to enhance the food quality, and availability of food, and to preserve the nutrient composition of food
3. Canning, Fermentation, Freezing, Smoking, Pasteurization, etc, are some of the methods through which food can be processed.
4. Food Processing can adversely affect the health of the consumer as few foods are genetically modified while the process.

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