Knowra Food processing Food processing Food processing transforms agricultural products and raw ingredients into food through preparation, preservation, packaging, and manufacturing. It ranges from household cooking to industrial production.
Thermal processing : Food treatment using heat to cook, pasteurize, sterilize, or otherwise alter products. Heating can destroy pathogens and enzymes, while also changing flavor, texture, and nutrients.
Canning : Food preservation by sealing products in containers and heating them to destroy spoilage organisms. Sealed, heat-treated foods can remain shelf-stable for long periods.
Water activity : A measure of water available for microbial growth and chemical reactions in a material. It predicts stability more directly than total moisture content alone.
Food safety : The prevention of food-related hazards that can cause illness or injury. Validated processing steps reduce pathogens and other hazards before foods reach consumers.
Fresh food : Food sold or consumed with little or no preservation or transformation after harvest or slaughter. It contrasts with processed products, though freshness alone does not determine safety or nutrition.
Fermentation : Microorganisms convert sugars and other compounds into acids, gases, alcohols, or flavor molecules. Controlled microbial activity preserves foods and creates characteristic flavors and textures.
Pasteurization : A controlled heat treatment that reduces harmful microorganisms in food without necessarily sterilizing it. Milk and other perishable products gain safer, longer refrigerated storage.
Food microbiology : The study of microorganisms that affect food safety, fermentation, spoilage, and production. Knowledge of microbes guides preservation choices and controls for foodborne hazards.
Food preservation : Methods that delay food spoilage and extend the time food remains usable. Preservation is a central purpose of processing, reducing losses between harvest and use.
Raw foodism : A dietary practice centered on uncooked or minimally heated foods. It rejects many heat-based transformations used in conventional food processing.
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