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Food Preservation

  Food preservation  has been practiced for centuries, with salting generally recognized as the earliest form of preservation. Several intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with foods serve to promote preservation, the most important of which include: water activity ( a w ), temperature (low or high), preservatives (i.e., nitrite), acidity (pH), competitive microorganisms (i.e., lactic acid bacteria), and redox potential (Eh). These extrinsic and intrinsic factors are limited when applied singly. However, when combined with one another in a sequence or applied simultaneously, the activity of each is considerably enhanced. This effect is likened to a series of hurdles that become increasingly harder to overcome the more hurdles that are utilized. The result is synergistic food preservation referred to as a hurdle effect. To fully understand the effects of these hurdles on microbial populations, extensive research has focused on defining the critical limits for growth, surv...
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Food safety

  Food safety  (or  food hygiene ) is used as a scientific method/discipline describing handling,  preparation , and  storage of food  in ways that prevent  food-borne illness . The occurrence of two or more cases of a similar illness resulting from the ingestion of a common food is known as a food-borne disease outbreak. This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potential  health hazards . In this way, food safety often overlaps with  food defense  to prevent harm to consumers. The tracks within this line of thought are safety between industry and the market and then between the market and the consumer. In considering industry to market practices, food safety  considerations include the origins of food including the practices relating to  food labeling , food  hygiene ,  food additives  and  pesticide residues , as well as policies on  biotechnology  and food and guidelin...
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Food Adulteration

  Food is essential for sustenance of life. We all eat food and gain energy for different metabolic activities. All living organisms need food for growth, work, repair and maintaining life processes. There are different types of food available today in the market, and  on a daily basis , we all depend on various food sources, including vegetables, fruits, cereals, pulses, legumes, etc. As we buy fresh veggies and other groceries ,  we might have come across small pebbles in cereals and grains, darkly stained vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, fruits, dark red meat and a lot more. Food Adulteration can be defined as the practice of adulterating food or contamination of food materials by adding a few substances, which are collectively called adulterants. Adulterants are the substance or poor quality products added to food items for economic and technical benefits. Addition of these adulterants reduces the value of  nutrients   in food and also contaminates the foo...
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Food Contamination

  Food contamination   refers to the presence of harmful chemicals and microorganisms in food, which can cause consumer illness. This article addresses the chemical contamination of foods, as opposed to microbiological contamination, which can be found under   food-borne illness . The impact of chemical contaminants on consumer health and well-being is often apparent only after many years of processing and prolonged exposure at low levels (e.g.,  cancer ). Unlike food-borne pathogens, chemical contaminants present in foods are often unaffected by thermal processing. Chemical contaminants can be classified according to the source of contamination and the mechanism by which they enter the food product. This category contains an almost endless list of contamination culprits. Here are just a few: Hair : Every food manufacturer should insist that factory floor workers wear a hairnet to minimise contaminants. Glass or metal : Glass and metal can make their way into your ou...
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Food Packaging

  Food packaging  is a  packaging  system specifically designed for  food  and represents one of the most important aspects among the processes involved in the food industry, as it provides protection from chemical, biological and physical alterations. The main goal of food packaging is to provide a practical means of protecting and delivering food goods at a reasonable cost while meeting the needs and expectations of both consumers and industries.  Additionally, current trends like  sustainability ,  environmental impact  reduction, and  shelf-life  extension have gradually become among the most important aspects in designing a packaging system. Packaging and package's labelling have several objectives: Physical protection - The food enclosed in the package may require protection from  shock ,  vibration , compression,  temperature , bacteria, etc. Barrier protection - A barrier from  oxygen ,  water v...
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