Module 7 Flashcards
Retailers of food products are varied and are usually classified into the following five groups:
Convenience stores
Supermarkets
Club stores
Specialty markets
Hypermarkets
are small retail stores, such as, 7-Eleven, Circle-K, and the small stores attached to gasoline service stations
Convenience stores
referred to as “grocery stores” in the United States, typically carry between 40,000 and 75,000 items. Examples are Kroger, Farmer Jack, Food Lion, Safeway, and Winn Dixie.
Supermarkets
are large warehouse-like facilities. Packaged products are often presented and sold in larger units than in supermarkets. The shelves are warehouse racks and the basic unit for many products is a pallet load. Examples are Sam’s Club and Costco.
Club stores
specialize in products of a particular type, quality, or regional source. Gourmet foods and international foods are common examples. However, there are chains that emphasize other features, such as a limited line of high-quality meats and vegetables or organic products.
Specialty markets
are large stores thal carry an extensive food product inventory along with an array of other products, such as pharmaceuticals, hardware, clothing, sporting goods, garden products, and furniture. Examples are Meijer and Walmart.
Hypermarkets
Following are some of the nutritional values favored by some individuals.
• Low fat
• Low carbohydrates
• Low sodium
• High carbohydrates, frequently marketed as “high energy”
• Low cholesterol or “cholesterol reducing”
• High vitamin content. Many nutrients, including vitamins, deteriorate naturally overtime.
Approaches are needed to ensure that products will have the amount of the nutrient on the label claim present throughout the entire product life cycle. This can be done in two ways:
o Overfortify the product with the nutrient (put in more than the label says it contains)
o Use packaging to slow the rate of deterioration of the nutrients.
- are the most serious safety concern for food manufacturers and packaging personnel.
- can cause premature spoilage of food products and the illness or death of a consumer.
Microbes
Two broad categories of microbes are
pathogens and spoilage organisms.
Pathogens can be grouped into two broad categories, depending on how the pathogen affects the victims.
o Infectants—Illness occurs when the pathogen itself is eaten.
o Intoxicants—Illness occurs when people ingest a toxin that is produced by the microbe.
is found in the digestive tract of all types of animals, including humans.
The bacteria. E. coli
was found to be the cause of a similar outbreak of foodborne illnesses in the late 1990s. The problem was traced to a large food company with a facility that was manufacturing hot dogs from poultry meat.
Listeria
causes the common symptoms of food poisoning. which are distressing, but not extremely dangerous to most people.
Salmonella
One pathway of salmonella poisoning is
the consumption of raw egg products
The product is “cooked” in the package, under pressure in a large water or steam bath. Temperatures are typically in excess of 121°C(250 degrees F).
Thermal processing (retorting)
The packaged product is exposed to radiation in the form of gamma rays, x rays, or beta electrons, which kill microbes, including pathogenic organisms.
Irradiation (“cold sterilization”)
can also be used to control biological processes, such as the sprouting of pototoes or ripening of fruit, which my degrade the quality of the product.
Irradiation
Packaging materials are sometimes impregnated with antimicrobial agents to deter microbial growth on the surface of products. This is a good technique for large frozen products, such as whole turkeys, because the long defrost time may allow the microbes to grow on the skin of the bird.
Antimycotic (antimicrobial)
The product and package are sterilized separately (using a variety of sterilization methods) and then brought together in a clean environment
Aseptic packaging
Research has shown that intense flashes of light of certain wavelengths can be used to sterilize food. The system is still being developed.
Light
is mother technique for sterilization that is still being researched. A product, either packaged in a flexible package or unpackagcd, is placed in a vat of liquid. Pressure (between 100-1,000 MPa) is applied to the liquid and transferred to the product.
High-pressure processing
difficult to define because it is largely a personal issue.
Quality
affected by some of the sterilization techniques discussed previously, particularly retorting
Flavor
allows manufacturers to take advantage of the fact that microbes are more sensitive to changes in the temperature than are nutrients
- exposes the product to heat for a shorter period of time than would be required for conventional thermal processing, killing the microbes without substantial negative impact on product quality or flavor.
High temperature short time processing (HIST)
is a relatively new processing technique that was developed in France. It results in less nutrient deterioration and improved aesthetics (texture and flavor) of the food product.
Sous vide
Fresh produce has a variety of problems that are unique. These problems include:
• Senescence—Fruits and vegetables deteriorate as they go through the natural process of aging.
• Loss of turgor—As fruits and vegetables lose moisture, they also lose crispness.
• Decay—Decay is caused by mold, bacteria, and yeast infections.
• Chilling injury—Dropping the storage temperature of some fruit accelerates decay.
• Infestation—Fresh products can be ravaged by insects, rodents, and, other pests.
• Physical injury—Physical injuries, bruises or cuts, accelerate many of the problems listed above.
