Food technology
Food technology applies science and engineering to processing, preserving, packaging, distributing, and ensuring the safety and quality of food.
Food preservation: Methods that slow spoilage and foodborne hazards to extend the usable life of food. Preservation is a central aim of food processing, from drying to refrigeration.
Aseptic processing: A method that sterilizes food and packaging separately, then combines them in a sterile environment. It enables shelf-stable liquids without prolonged heating after packaging.
Food microbiology: The study of microorganisms associated with food, including those that cause spoilage or illness. Microbial growth and survival determine many processing and storage requirements.
Food safety: The prevention of food contamination and foodborne illness across production, handling, and consumption. Safety controls are built into processing, sanitation, packaging, and distribution.
Cultured meat: Animal tissue grown from cells in controlled conditions for use as food. Its production depends on scaling bioreactors, growth media, and food-grade processing.
Thermal processing: The use of controlled heat to make foods safer, more stable, or ready to eat. Heating can destroy pathogens and inactivate enzymes during food manufacture.
Modified atmosphere packaging: Packaging that changes the gas mixture surrounding food to slow deterioration. Its tailored atmospheres help preserve fresh products during distribution.
Water activity: A measure of how available water is for chemical reactions and microbial growth in a material. Reducing available water can stabilize foods without removing all their moisture.
HACCP: A preventive food-safety system that identifies hazards and controls them at critical points. HACCP translates process knowledge into routine, documented hazard controls.
Precision fermentation: The use of selected microorganisms to produce specific molecules through fermentation. It can manufacture food ingredients whose cost and scale remain technical challenges.