FOOD PROCESSING LESSON 1

• Food Processing


  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines processed food as one that has undergone any changes to its natural state - that is, any raw agricultural commodity is subjected to washing, cleaning, milling, canning, cutting, chopping, heating, pasteurizing, blanching, cooking, etc. The food may include the addition of preservatives, flavors, nutrients, salt, sugar and fats.
• Adverse effects of processing food

  • Peeling outer layer of fruits and vegetables remove plant nutrients
  • Heating or drying foods can destroy certain vitamins and minerals
  • Suggested as contributor to obesity epidemic and diabetes - high intake of sugar sweetened beverages
• Why process foods


  • Maintain and/or improve nutritional properties of food
  • Increase storage stability or shelf life of food
  • Make foods more attractive and palatable
  • Prevent microbial growth or toxin production
  • Create opportunities for sales
  • Make foods for special groups of people
• Pasteurization


  1. Heating liquid food to destroy micro-organisms

  2. Nutrient value of milk is generally unaffected
• Blanching with freezing


  1. Cleanses the surface and helps retard loss of vitamins

  2. Overblanching causes loss of flavor, color, vitamins, and minerals
• Fortification


  1. Add nutrients that may not be present naturally in food

  2. Nutrient added is higher than the original
• Fortified foods


  • Table salt - iodine
  • Milk - vitamin D
  • Bread - folic acid
  • Rice - iron
• Tips in preserving food nutrient
• Processing methods to increase storage stability or shelf life

  • Refrigeration (slow bacterial action)
  • Freezing (stop bacterial growth)
  • Dehydration
  • Fermentation
  • Curing and smoking
  • Packaging (vacuum packing)
• Additives to increase storage stability or shelf life


  • Preservatives (salt, vinegar, sugar)
  • Antioxidants (vitamin C and E)
• Making foods more palatable and attractive

  1. Thermal processing

  2. Curing and smoking (tapa)

  3. Grain milling and grinding; flour

  4. Packaging
• Palatable


  Pleasant to taste
• Additives to make foods more palatable and attractive


  • Flavorants (cinnamon, lemon)
  • Preservatives (salt, sugar, vinegar)
  • Humectants (corn syrup, honey, sugar)
• Processing methods to prevent microbial growth or toxin production

  • Thermal processing
  • Refrigeration
  • Freezing
  • Dehydration
  • Pasteurization
  • Curing and smoking
  • Packaging (vacuum packing)
  • Add sugars (jams and jellies)
• Creating opportunities for sales and income generation

  • Offers opportunities to diversify our sources of income
  • Crops or animals and other commodities are readily available
  • Domestic utensils can be used in many processes when starting up
• Processed food items for sales and income generation

  • Kimchi
  • Longganisa
  • Lamayo
  • Bagoong
  • Chili garlic
• Foods made for special groups of people

  • Infant foods
  • Geriatric foods (e.g. Ensure)
  • Nutraceuticals / functional foods
  • Ethnic foods
  • Food service/institutional products
  • Convenience foods (time-savers)
  • Reduced calorie/fat/sodium food