Chapter 9-Food Processing Flashcards
What are the conditions required for micro-organisms?
- food
- warmth
- moisture
- oxygen
- pH
What are the methods for food preservation?
- freezing
- freeze drying: food is frozen then moisture is removed
- drying:moisture is removed
- pasteurisation: milk is heated and cooled rapidly
- canning: can airtight
- jam making: fruit is boiled
- bottling
- preservatives used e.g salt
- irradiation: energy waves are passed through the food to kill micro-organisms
Why is freezing used to preserve foods?
- reduces tempature of food so micro-organisms are inactivated and cannot grow
- changes the water in food to ice, and micro-organisms can’t grow without moisture is the form of water
What is quick freezing?
Quick freezing forms very small ice crystals in food which help to keep the food firm when thawing.
What is slow freezing?
Slow freezing forms large ice crystals in food. When food is thawed, the food becomes soft and nutrienrs are lost.
What is blast freezing?
Blast freezing is carried out commercially at a tempature of -30°C. This is the best method of freezing because the cell walls are not damaged.
What are the three types of freezing?
- quick freezing
- slow freezing
- blast freezing
What are the guidelines for freezing?
- choose good quality fresh food
- chill food before freezing
- use the fast freeze section of the freezer
- open-freeze foods that are likely to stick together
- freeze food in usable quantities
- allow air circulation between the packages in the freezer
- label all packages clearly
What are the guidelines for packaging foods for freezing?
- packaging should be moisture-proof and vapour-proof
- seal bags with wire ties and freezer tape
- remove as much air as possible
- allow headspace to allow liquids to expand
- wrap the sharp shape with foil to prevent tearing the packaging
- label packages carefully
Reasons why food is processed?
- micro-organisms are killed
- it prevents waste
- it prevents enzyme activity
- it adds variety to the diet
- nutritive value is retained
- seasonal food is available all yeae
- food is easier to transport
What foods are unsuitable for freezing?
- vegetables with a high water content
- bananas and avocados; they blacken
- milk, cream amd mayonaise; fat and water seperate
- whole eggs: they crack
What are the two types of freezer packages?
- bags
- rigid containers
Why is good packaging needed?
To prevent freezer burn, which damaged the food
What are the steps to freezing vegetables?
- prepare vegetable as for cooking
- blanch vegetables
- chill vegetables in iced water
- open-freeze vegetables that stick together
- package in freezer bags and remove air
- seal and label
What is the blanching time for peas?
1 min
What is the blanching time for parsnips, turnips, brocoli, french beans and cauliflower?
3 min
What is the blanching time for onions, sprouts and carrots?
4 min
What are the guidelines for freezing fruit?
- freeze as soon as possible after picking
- prepare fruit as for cooking
- open-freeze berry fruits, when frozen, pack in freezer bags or boxes, seal and label
- hard fruits can be frozen in syrup. When packaging, allow headspace for expansion
- label all fruits clearly
Guidelines for breads, cakes and pastries
- freeze either raw or cooked
- pack in freezer bags. Seal and label clearly
- pack decorated cakes upright in polythene boxes
- use breads and scones within one month of freezing
What are the guidelines for freezing meat?
- trim away visible fat
- separate burgers, chops and steaks using waxed paper
- remove as much air as possible before sealing
- label clearly
What are the guidelines for freezing stews and casseroles?
- make in the usual way except that the sauce should be a little thinner
- shorten cooking time by 20 min
- when packaging, allow headspace for expansion
- label clearly
What are the guidelines for buying frozen food?
- the tempature of shop freezer should be -18°
- buy frozen food from a reliable source
- food should be frozen solid
- check the expiry date
- packaging should be properly sealed and not damaged
- food should be stored below the load line in open freezers
What are the guidelines for frozen food?
- follow the instructions for thawing on the label
- thaw food overnight in the refridgerator; thaw the food thoroughly (especially meat and poultry
- only defrost food in a microwave if you intend to cook the food right after it’s thawed
- do not refreeze thawed food unless it cooked thoroughly first
What are the advantages of using a freezer?
- food can be bought in bulk and stored, which saves money
- food is available out of season
- freezing retains colour, flavour and texture of food
- leftovers can be frozen and used later, which saves money
- freezing home-grown produce saves money