1. Food Processing
Standard: 19.0 Describe Food Safety and Processing Practices
Measurement Criteria:19.2 Describe food-processing practices

2. What is food processing?
Techniques used to slow deterioration and allow people to enjoy foods in a variety of forms around the year and around the globe.
Food processing turns raw agricultural product into attractive and consumable food.

3. What is the importance of food processing to human health?
increases variety
increases convenience
improves quality of food

4. What are five food-processing methods?
Fermentation - Production of CO2 through anaerobic respiration, also produces lactic acid alcohol in the process.
Canning - Sterilize food by getting it to a temperature of F, then putting it into airtight containers
Dehydration - Lowers moisture content to inhibit growth of microorganisms
Irradiation - Uses gamma rays to kill insects, bacteria, fungi, etc. in food products.
Blanching - Briefly scald food to inactivate enzymes that cause undesirable changes.

5. Method- Fermentation Advantages Disadvantages Improves taste
Adds value to crops, such as cucumber
Disadvantages
Rather lengthy process in comparison to other food processing techniques.

6. Method- Canning Advantages Disadvantages Increases shelf life
2 years is considered normal shelf life
Disadvantages
Weight of product
Requires specially treated metal cans or appropriate glass jars.

7. Method-Dehydration Advantages Disadvantages
Increases shelf life up to 2 years
Lighter weight
Lower volume
Disadvantages
Changes taste and texture of food
Typically requires preparation to reconstitute food.

8. Method-Irradiation Advantage Disadvantages
Gamma rays pass through without heating or changing it, therefore no heat sensitive nutrients are lost in the process
Disadvantages
High cost
Perception of irradiation

9. Method-Blanching Advantage Disadvantage Improves taste
Increases availability of out of season foods
Disadvantage
Storage limits
Fruits & veggies 1 year
Meat 3-6 months
Freezing temperatures required for storage