How Much Do You Know About Your Food? Find Out With This Food Processing Quiz!

Homogenization

During homogenization, fat molecules in milk are broken down so that they resist separation. While most milk in the United States is homogenized, it's an entirely cosmetic process as nothing is added or taken away from the milk.

Frying

While preserving with salt, fermenting, and sun drying were all among the first known methods of crude processing, the conditions were not suitable to frying food.

Wholesale

According to the United Nations Statistics Division, wholesale is defined as the resale of new and used good to retailers, including other wholesalers, commercial, industrial, and institutional.

Ultra-High Temperature

Ultra-high temperature processing, also known as UHT, ultra-heat treatment, or ultra-pasteurization, is a food processing tool used to sterilize liquid. During this process, liquids are heated above 275 °F for 2 to 5 seconds to kill bacterial endospores.

The transformation of raw animal and plant products into food for human consumption.

Any action which creates food from raw agricultural products qualifies as food processing. From grinding grains into flour to packaging processed foods for global consumption, this occupation involves countless different methods and techniques.

Waste Management

The various practices and industries related to food processing include the following: cannery, fish processing, food packaging plant, industrial rendering, meat packing plant, slaughterhouse, and the sugar industry.

Vitamin C

While some nutrients are tolerant of heat, such as iron, Vitamin K, and Vitamin B12, heat will destroy water-soluble ones like Vitamin C. Vitamin C is also sensitive to air exposure and light, making it hard to maintain during food processing.

A change in the physical state or form of the product.

The United States Department of Agriculture defines value-added products as having a change in the physical state or form of the product. For example, making peanuts into peanut butter or the creation of sausages.

Boost serotonin levels in consumers.

In terms of commercial food processing, raw materials are transformed into food with the primary objectives of boosting the shelf life, eliminating harmful contaminants, and making the food appealing to consumers.

Experimenting

Unit operations in food processing outlines the various common techniques and principles involved in the food industry. Some examples of unit operations include fermentation, cleaning, coating, drying, pumping, and packaging.

Improve Nutritional Value

On average, Americans consume a much higher amount of sodium than the recommended amount for heart health. Sodium is added to processed foods to improve the flavor, texture, and longevity of products.

Pasteurization

Some traditional food processing methods include heat treatment, fermentation, pickling, smoking, drying, and curing. Other modern practices include pasteurization, ultra-heat treatment, high pressure processing, and modified packaging.

Smoking Fish

Primary food processing is what turns raw agricultural products into food for human consumption. This process involves ancient methods for food processing, such as drying, smoking, milling, and butchering.

Trans Fat

Much to your doctor's dismay, many processed snack foods, including popcorn, pizza, baked goods, and desserts contain trans fats.

Irradiation

Food irradiation reduces and removes harmful pathogens, such as mold or bacteria, through exposure to ionizing radiation. This transfer of energy greatly decreases the occurrence of spoiled food, which can cause food poisoning and other illnesses.

Military Needs

In 1809, Nicolas Appert invented a bottling technique which allowed for food preservation among French troops. This discovery paved the way for tinning and canning by Peter Durand in 1810.

Frozen Meals

Tertiary processed food, also known as convenience food, is commercially manufactured to enhance the ease of consumption. These ready-to-eat meals include frozen dinners, airplane meals, and other portable options.

Hygiene

Performance parameters are taken into account during the processes of the food industry to ensure high-quality products for consumers. In addition to the other mentioned parameters, hygiene is among the most important as it's measured by the number of micro-organisms per mL of a finished product.

Canning

The oldest methods of food preservation include refrigeration, fermentation, and drying. Among the modern methods are freezing, canning, and pasteurization.

Non-Thermal Technologies

High pressure and pulsed electric fields (PEF) are non-thermal methods of food preservation. They work by delivering short electric pulses to eliminate microbial organisms without having adverse effects on the food.