Principles of Food Science, 3rd Edition Page 19 (41 of 864)

19
Chapter 1 Food Science: An Old but New Subject
Researchers have studied quick-freezing as a food preservation
technique. This research has led to higher-quality frozen food products.
Quick-freezing can use cryogenic liquids, which are substances
that are in liquid form at extremely low temperatures. For example,
nitrogen gas becomes liquid at –194°C (–317°F). Ordinary freezing
techniques allow relatively large ice crystals to form. These ice crystals
can rupture the cell walls of foods like fruits and vegetables. Cryogenic
liquids are so cold that foods freeze almost on contact. This results
in the formation of very small ice crystals, which cause minimal
damage to cell structure. Products thus maintain much of the color,
texture, and nutritive value of fresh foods.
Food scientists are involved in a broad range of activities. This
section has addressed only a few of the ways food scientists are
expanding and improving the food supply. Their efforts have enabled
people to eat better than was once thought possible.
Attention to Global Concerns
As technology advances, the globe seems to shrink and international
food trade expands. One important benefi t of global trade is more
year-round variety of foods at lower prices. However, global trading
can also bring safety risks to a nation’s food supply. Contaminated
food and other food safety risks can reach U.S. borders quickly, while
former safety risks, now under control, could be re-introduced.
Countries that import and export food products hold many
different views on what food safety and food quality mean. Disputes
over these differences halted trade between countries many times. The
need for an impartial scientifi c authority to set global food standards
was obvious. In 1963, the science-based Codex Alimentarius Commission
was formed. The organization, simply known as the Codex, is funded
by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Codex develops international food standards, guidelines,
and codes of practice that protect human health. The standards are
voluntary, but often they form the basis for national legislation. Member
countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are expected to
follow Codex food safety standards. If a member country applies
stricter measures, it may be required to provide scientifi c justifi cation.
Scientists who work on Codex matters generally do so through a
government agency of a member country. U.S. task forces from both
the USDA and the FDA participate in Codex programs. There are
184 member countries and one member organization, the European
Union. Other member countries of the United Nations as well as non-
government organizations can become Codex observers. However,
each must request and be granted observer status.

Previous Page Next Page

Extracted Text (may have errors)

19
Chapter 1 Food Science: An Old but New Subject
Researchers have studied quick-freezing as a food preservation
technique. This research has led to higher-quality frozen food products.
Quick-freezing can use cryogenic liquids, which are substances
that are in liquid form at extremely low temperatures. For example,
nitrogen gas becomes liquid at –194°C (–317°F). Ordinary freezing
techniques allow relatively large ice crystals to form. These ice crystals
can rupture the cell walls of foods like fruits and vegetables. Cryogenic
liquids are so cold that foods freeze almost on contact. This results
in the formation of very small ice crystals, which cause minimal
damage to cell structure. Products thus maintain much of the color,
texture, and nutritive value of fresh foods.
Food scientists are involved in a broad range of activities. This
section has addressed only a few of the ways food scientists are
expanding and improving the food supply. Their efforts have enabled
people to eat better than was once thought possible.
Attention to Global Concerns
As technology advances, the globe seems to shrink and international
food trade expands. One important benefi t of global trade is more
year-round variety of foods at lower prices. However, global trading
can also bring safety risks to a nation’s food supply. Contaminated
food and other food safety risks can reach U.S. borders quickly, while
former safety risks, now under control, could be re-introduced.
Countries that import and export food products hold many
different views on what food safety and food quality mean. Disputes
over these differences halted trade between countries many times. The
need for an impartial scientifi c authority to set global food standards
was obvious. In 1963, the science-based Codex Alimentarius Commission
was formed. The organization, simply known as the Codex, is funded
by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Codex develops international food standards, guidelines,
and codes of practice that protect human health. The standards are
voluntary, but often they form the basis for national legislation. Member
countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are expected to
follow Codex food safety standards. If a member country applies
stricter measures, it may be required to provide scientifi c justifi cation.
Scientists who work on Codex matters generally do so through a
government agency of a member country. U.S. task forces from both
the USDA and the FDA participate in Codex programs. There are
184 member countries and one member organization, the European
Union. Other member countries of the United Nations as well as non-
government organizations can become Codex observers. However,
each must request and be granted observer status.

Help

18
Unit 1 The Science of Food
Many food scientists are at work developing substitutes for natural
ingredients that are healthier or less expensive. Examples include
sugar and salt substitutes, nondairy creamers and toppings, and fat
replacers. Such substitutes help reduce the need for dietary changes
by people with conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
Food scientists also develop food analogs, which are natural or
manufactured substances used in place of foods or food components.
For instance, some vegetable proteins can be made into products that
look and taste like meat. One of these food analogs is bacon chips
made from soybeans. This product looks and tastes like real bacon.
Unlike real bacon bits, however, the food analog has a long shelf life
and does not require refrigeration.
New Processing Techniques
Some of the food processes used to develop food products that
meet the needs of today’s busy consumers were developed through
research while others evolved naturally. Changing a raw agricultural
product into a processed food may require one or more of these
common food processes. See 1-7.
Alterations can make a food product quite different from its
original source. For example, corn may be ground, powdered,
liquefi ed, fermented, puffed, dried, fried, or popped. These
processes can result in products that look and taste totally unlike
corn. Food scientists are working on new production processes to
achieve greater food variety and choices.
Some production processes were
developed by food scientists working for
the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) space program.
For example, new dehydrated food products
and some special packaging techniques
expanded food choices and helped reduce
packaging costs. Space program discoveries
led to vacuum packaging techniques, Tefl on
coatings, and freezer-to-oven cookware. The
space program has inspired improved water
purifi cation methods and microwave vacuum
drying systems for agricultural crops.
Newer food processes developed by
food scientists have a number of advantages.
For example, using microwave vacuum
drying to preserve rice limits energy use.
The system is environmentally clean, and
there is little or no sound pollution. Fire
hazard is also reduced. In addition, the rice
is dried without hardening or damage, and
nutrients are preserved.
Common Food Processes
blanching increasing nutrient content
canning liquefying
chopping milling
cleaning mixing
cooking packaging
cutting pasteurizing
dehydrating powdering
drying salting
fermenting smoking
freezing vacuum packing
heating washing
1-7 Many of the ways to develop processed food are familiar
techniques used in home kitchens.

Previous Page Next Page

20
Unit 1 The Science of Food
The previous discussion focused on food safety risks accidentally
introduced from another country. However, the possibility of inten-
tional tampering with a nation’s food supply exists. Such an attack,
depending on its severity, could cause serious illness, death, and more.
Hunger, malnutrition, economic calamity, and widespread panic
could result.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for
the overall security of the nation and the American people. The DHS
works with the USDA to develop measures for preventing accidental
and intentional contamination on the estimated 2.1 million U.S. farms.
To address possible post-harvest threats to the U.S. food system,
the DHS launched the National Center for Food Protection and
Defense (NCFPD) in 2004. The mission of this action-oriented research
consortium is to identify ways to address potential threats in the
food supply chain. That chain involves 30,000 food processing sites,
19,000 food packers, over a million retail stores and outlets, and their
transportation facilities. Some new measures needed to identify and
respond quickly to an early phase of a hostile act include
• improving supply chain security and preparedness
• detecting contaminations and their causes almost instantly and
accurately
• developing tools to recover from and resume safe operations
after an intentional incident
Food protection is an umbrella term meaning both food safety
and food defense. Food defense is the protection of food products
from intentional adulteration by biological, chemical, physical, or
radioactive agents. Food terrorism is the deliberate contamination of
food and/or water supplies.
Note that food security means something completely different.
It means access to nutritionally adequate and safe food. For example,
victims of famine face food insecurity.
Why Study Food Science?
Many food scientists focus on organic chemistry, microbiology,
engineering, or nutrition. Others have received special training in
one area of food production, such as poultry, animal, or dairy science.
However, interest in one of these fi elds is not the only reason you
might study food science.
Over half of all jobs in the world are linked to food in some way.
Workers from the farm to the table who must know how to handle
food properly include: farmers, shippers, processors, food retailers,
cooks, and wait staff. There are jobs in every area and at every level
of training and income that need some understanding of food.

Previous Page Next Page

Page 25Unit 1 The Science of Food click to expand contents

Page 111Unit 2 Basic Chemistry click to expand contents

Page 231Unit 3 Organic Chemistry: The Macronutrients click to expand contents

Page 389Unit 4 Food Chemistry: The Microcomponents click to expand contents

Page 513Unit 5 Food Microbiology: Living Organisms in Food click to expand contents

Page 593Unit 6 Food Preservation and Packaging click to expand contents

Page 691Unit 7 Working with Complex Food Systems click to expand contents

Extracted Text (may have errors)

Help

loading