What is the minimally processed fresh foods, Science

Assignment Help:

Minimally processed fresh foods

Today's consumers are increasingly demanding convenient, ready-to-use and ready-to-eat foods with a fresh like quality, and containing only natural ingredients. The concept of minimal processing theoretically involves the care of foods throughout the entire post-harvest system - from the farm-gate all the way to the consumer, while also meeting the demands of the consumer for convenience and fresh. This minimal processing approach is also called as hurdle technology, simply because a series of hurdles is placed in the way of the micro-organisms growth and survival; e.g. combinations of weak acid treatments with modified atmosphere packaging or mild heating with reduced water activity, or alternative doses of mild heating and chilling.

Minimally processed foods include conventional products such as prepared vegetables and salads, prepared fruits, prepared meat  items, heat-and-eat meals and new generation foods such as fresh pasta and pasta sauces. If these products are heat processed, the heat treatment is much less than that required of the canned foods. Chilled ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat foods are a very rapidly growing segment of the market. Some of the best examples of this are the fresh and sliced apples and potatoes packaged under the modified atmosphere packaging that have a shelf-life of three weeks. These products are prepared under very rigorous hygienic conditions, packed under vacuum and cooked at fairly low temperatures.
 
The advantages of minimally processed foods are many:

  • Maintains freshness and quality;
  • Renders fruits and vegetables in convenient and ready-to-cook form;
  • Extends the shelf-life;
  • Bulk reduction for better storage, easy transportation and packaging;
  • Boosts export of vegetable in minimally processed form;
  • Renders 60% value addition; and
  • Low technology, without involvement of sophisticated machinery.

Increased product safety is also much in demand by the producers and distributors. The fresh-like products are highly perishable and actions that increase safety are important. Minimally processed products readily deteriorate in quality than the original raw material due to the alteration of tissue integrity during processing of these products. Therefore, minimally processed foods must be held continuously at refrigerated temperatures and guarded from temperature abuse in distribution and retailing.


Related Discussions:- What is the minimally processed fresh foods

Explain the circumvallate papillae, Explain the Circumvallate papillae: ...

Explain the Circumvallate papillae: These are the largest of the papillae, about 8 to 12 in number. These are arranged in a V-shape.

To surveys a lab for its fire preparedness, TO SURVEYS A LAB FOR ITS FIRE P...

TO SURVEYS A LAB FOR ITS FIRE PREPAREDNESS As said earlier in this activity you are going to survey the labs of the institution where you are working at. Look for the fire safe

Soundwaves.., Temperature affects the _____ of sound waves !?

Temperature affects the _____ of sound waves !?

Explain accessory organs which help in digestion, Explain Accessory Organs ...

Explain Accessory Organs which help in Digestion The gastrointestinal tract receives various secretions. Some are secreted from the glands in the lining membrane of the organs,

Define the mechanical or physical weathering processes, Mechanical or Physi...

Mechanical or Physical Weathering Processes A rock broken into smaller pieces is said to be physically or mechanically weathered.  It has a large exposed surface area which fur

Fire blankets-water extinguishers, Fire Blankets :  We have already discus...

Fire Blankets :  We have already discussed the use of fire blankets, but it is worth noting that fire blankets are now made of glass fibre instead of asbestos, and that they are u

How to calculate the mass of atoms in amus , How to Calculate the Mass of A...

How to Calculate the Mass of Atoms in AMU's ? To calculate the masses of atoms we need only know the numbers of the various subatomic particles within the nucleus. For our purp

Nursing process, Purpose To develop beginning skills in planning care f...

Purpose To develop beginning skills in planning care for clients using the nursing process. General Instructions 1. This assignment should be presented type written, 8

What does regolith mean, What does regolith mean? Ans) This refers to ...

What does regolith mean? Ans) This refers to a layer of loose surface material covering bedrock.

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd