Module 5: Food Processing and Packaging

Question 1

What keeps pre-packaged shredded cheese from clumping, low-fat ice cream creamy, and pre-made milkshakes smooth?” (Michaelis, 2018)

Answer 1

Powdered wood pulp and cellulose are synonyms in the food industry. The food industry loves it because “it’s cheap, it helps stabilize food, lowers fat content, and increases fiber!” (Michaelis, 2018)

Question 2

What is the “second most ominous threat to the global environment, after climate change?” (United Nations, 2019)

Answer 2

plastic pollution

Question 3

Definition of processing food

Answer 3

process of transforming nature into culture, or raw ingredients into cooked foods. everything that happens from the farm to fork

(application of unit operations to effect desired changes in food)

Question 4

what are some methods of processing foods?

Answer 4

• physical methods
• thermal methods
  -temperature lowering methods
• formulation

Question 5

What are the types of processed foods?

Answer 5

• unprocessed, minimally or moderately processed
• process culinary ingredients
• ready to consume food products
  -ultra processed

Question 6

Reasons for packaging food

Answer 6

Product protection (eg.prevent bruising)
convenience
marketing

Question 7

What packaging materials are used for packaging food?

Answer 7

glass, steel, aluminum, paper, polymer

Question 8

what are the nutritional challenges to food processing and packaging?

Answer 8

nutritional change- nutrient loss via heat material compound transferred to food- BPA, lead and tin from cans
added sugar, salt, fat to improve taste

Question 9

what are the environmental challenges to food processing and packaging?

Answer 9

machinery-> energy consumption

water use-> processing use more water than raw ingredients

solid/liquid waste->post consumer waste (global concern)

Question 10

What are the social impacts of food processing and packaging?

Answer 10

businesses using more than necessary for marketing

Question 11

What are the political impacts of food processing and packaging?

Answer 11

policies made by government impact logistics, regulations of the food system

Question 12

what is the most basic form of food processing?

Answer 12

cooking :)

Question 13

What are the reasons for processing food?

Answer 13

1. safety (from chemical & physical & biological hazards/natural compounds)
2. quality (microbial spoilage, imperfect-looking foods, changes in water content)
3. Increase value (eg. washed/cut in smaller pieces, save prep time)
4. Convenience/consistency
5. Taste

Question 14

What are physical methods of processing food? What are some examples?

Answer 14

use of pressure and force to transform food, either by changing its size, shape, or texture or even removing parts that are not desirable
eg.
grinding
forming
extraction
high pressure processing
advanced meat recovery

Question 15

What are thermal methods of processing food? What are some examples?

Answer 15

use heat to “kill certain microorganisms, inactivate enzymes, improve flavor, and change food texture”
eg.
retorting
blanching
pasteurization
hot smoking
extrusion
steam peeling

Question 16

What are temperature lowering methods of processing food? What are some examples?

Answer 16

limit the growth of undesirable microorganisms, slow rate of most chemical, biochemical reactions; halt nearly all degradative processes” improving shelf life.
eg.
blast freezing
spray cooling
vacuum tunnel chilling
cryogenic freezing
freeze drying

Question 17

What is advanced meat recovery?

Answer 17

mechanical procedure-removes small pieces of meat left after deboning, resulting in a product called lean, finely textured beef.

result is a cheap product used by fast food restaurants as ingredient in hamburgers

Question 18

What is the formulation method for processing food?

Answer 18

combining ingredients to create or improve a food (incorporating additives to perform desired functions)
- adding nutrients

Question 19

Give an example of why food formulation is important

Answer 19

Pablum, a mixture of “ground and precooked wheat, oatmeal, corn meal, bone meal, dried brewer’s yeast and powdered alfalfa leaf, fortified with reduced iron”(internationally known cereal for combating infant malnutrition)

Question 20

Define unprocessed and minimally or moderately processed

Answer 20

include some staple foods that are processed mostly to extend the time they last.
- range from brown rice and pasteurized milk (minimally processed) to white rice/flour

Question 21

Define processed culinary ingredients

Answer 21

used with foods to make freshly prepared meals (e.g., oils, fats, sugar, salt).

Question 22

Define ready-to-consume food products

Answer 22

including processed (whole foods with added ingredients, such as salted meat, cheese, bread, canned fruits) and ultra-processed foods, which last longer and its palatability has been modified.

Question 23

Define ultra processed foods

Answer 23

formulations made from substances derived from foods to which preservatives and cosmetic and other types of additive are added, with no or little whole food

Question 24

What is the challenge of ultra processed food? Why?

Answer 24

have characteristics associated with higher risk of obesity and other chronic diseases
Why:
- nutrition unbalance
-energy dense
-hyper palatable
-encourage mindless eating

Question 25

What are additives?

Answer 25

including colorants, emulsifiers, flavours, preservatives, flavour enhancers, stabilizers, intensive sweeteners, nutrients, and humectants