Food production and Processing Unit 2

• Food processing


  The stages by which raw ingredients are turned into food and made suitable for consumption
• Reasons food is processed


  • To make it safe to eat
  • To preserve it and slow down spoilage
  • To add variety to the diet
  • To make it enjoyable to eat
  • To make it easier to prepare and serve
  • To make it available out of season
• Food production


  A system that turns raw ingredients into consumable food and drink products
• Parts of a food production system

  • Input (e.g. eggs, flour and sugar)
  • Process (e.g. beating and baking)
  • Output (e.g. cake)
• Primary Processing


  When a food has to be processed before it can be eaten/used (e.g. wheat processed into flour)
• Secondary Processing


  When a food that has already undergone primary processing is then transformed into a food product (e.g. flour into pasta)
• Primary processing of wheat


  1. Wheat is grown in the field

  2. Harvesting removes the wheat grains from the plant

  3. Harvested wheat grains are stored

  4. Wheat is transported to the mill

  5. Wheat is cleaned and conditioned

  6. Flour is milled using rollers and sieves

  7. Bran, wheatgerm and endosperm are separated and blended into different types of flour
• Secondary processing of wheat into bread


  1. Weighing and measuring

  2. Mixing

  3. Proving

  4. Shaping

  5. Baking

  6. Slicing
• Proving


  A rest period to allow a final rise of bread dough before baking
• Primary processing of milk

  1. Cows are milked at least twice a day

  2. Milk is stored at 4 degrees and transported for processing

  3. Milk is pasteurised

  4. Milk is separated into cream and liquid component

  5. Cream and liquid are re-blended

  6. Milk is homogenised
• Secondary processing of milk into cheese


  1. Specific bacteria are used to thicken milk

  2. Rennet is used to separate milk into curds and whey

  3. Curds and whey are drained
• Fortification of food


  Supplementing food and drink products with nutrients during processing and production
• Reasons for fortifying foods


  • To enrich products for individuals with special diets
  • To enrich a staple food with a nutrient it does not naturally contain
  • To replace nutrients lost during processing
  • To improve nutritional status of a specific group of people who may be deficient
  • To prevent dietary disorders
  • To add nutrients to foods for marketing purposes
• Examples of fortified foods


  • Fat spreads (important sources of Vitamin A and D)
  • Slimming products and sports drinks
  • Baby and infant foods (fortified with iron and vitamin C)
  • Soya products for vegans and vegetarians (fortified with Vitamin B12)
  • Breakfast cereals
• Food additives


  Natural or synthetic substances added to food to perform a particular function
• E number


  A number allocated to an additive that indicates it has been approved and is safe for consumption
• Types of food additives


  • Natural (taken from one food and used in another)
  • Nature Identical (made artificially to be the same as a natural product)
  • Artificial (synthetically made entirely from chemicals)
• Functions of food additives


  • Antioxidants (extend shelf life)
  • Colours (make food look more attractive, replace colour lost during processing)
  • Emulsifiers, stabilisers and gelling agents (give food a smooth texture, thicken food)
  • Flavourings and flavour enhancers (replace flavour lost during processing, improve taste of food)
  • Preservatives (keep food safer for longer, extend shelf life)
  • Sweeteners (used with or instead of sugar to make food taste sweet or sweeter)
• Pros of food additives


  • Keep food safer for longer
  • Put colour back in food
  • Improve flavour of food
  • Keep things sweet
  • Add variety of product to the diet
  • Make sure food is enjoyable to eat
• Cons of food additives


  • May cause an allergic reaction
  • Negative impact on health
  • Effect children's behaviour
  • Make low quality products seem better than they are
  • Might be chemicals that some people want to avoid
• Food supply chain


  Goes from farm to fork
• Sectors of the food supply chain


  • Agricultural sector (where food is grown, reared or caught)
  • Manufacturing sector (where food goes through processing and production)
  • Distribution sector (where food is transported and supplied to food businesses)