Food processing - Convenience foods

Question 1

Types of convenience foods

Answer 1

Canned + bottled foods
Frozen foods
Dried foods
Ready-to-cook foods
Cook-chill foods

Question 2

Ready-to-cook foods

Answer 2

Prepared, needs to be cooked

Question 3

Cook-chill foods

Answer 3

Already cooked + chilled, have to be reheated

Question 4

Why are convenience foods popular?

Answer 4

Choose not to spend time preparing
Do not have adequate cooking skills
Advertising encourages
Little waste
Wide variety
Children pester parents
Convenient

Question 5

Reheated cook-chill foods

Answer 5

Must be stored continuously at temp below 4*C in shop or home, food poisoning bacteria such as listeria can multiply to dangerous lefels.

Must always be thoroughly cooked/reheated to destroy bacteria. Foods reheated in microwave should be stirred to ensure food is thoroughly heated throughout. Should be piping hot.

Question 6

Advantage of convenience foods

Answer 6

Save time + energy
Little skill required, useful for poor cooking skills
Add interest to meals, incl exotic ingredients
Fortified w/ vitamins + minerals
Useful in emergencies
Avoid waste
Beginner cooks use as part of meal

Question 7

Disadvantages of convenience foods

Answer 7

Often inferior in food value, colour, flavour to fresh produce
Excess salt, fat, sugar
Expensive
Lots of additives
Over-packaging = wasteful + damaging to environment

Question 8

Convenience foods

Answer 8

Pre-packe, prepared quickly + easily