Lecture 3 - Product and Process Development

Question 1

Why are new food products developed?

Answer 1

New Idea

New trend (e.g. low GI food/Plant based meat etc)

Solve a consumer problem (not enough time to cook -> emergence of ready to eat meals)

Improve an existing product

New technology

Cost reduction

Changes in government regulation

Solve food security problems

Change in taste and preferences of consumers

Question 2

Examples of product failure

Answer 2

Colourful Heinz Ketchup

Colgate ready to eat meals

Question 3

Factors that affect the success of developing a new product

Answer 3

Functionality of ingredients

Ingredient constraints (change in supplier etc)

Cost/Profit

Taste and preferences of consumers

Storage constraints (is it shelf-stable? does it require special storage conditions like freezing?)

Processing constraints vs nutritional constraint (e.g. sterilisation will kill off all microbes to increase the shelf life but at the same time will result in destruction of nutrients.

Taste and preferences vs nutrition

Transportation

Packaging

Technological constraints

Question 4

What must be included in a food label?

Answer 4

Nutritional facts

Product weight/size

Ingredient Statement/ List