Food Process Technology - Research Paper Example

 Food Process Technology Introduction Food packaging is an important aspect because it helps in keeping the food healthy, protected, and retaining its taste. The packaging depends on the type of food and its size in accordance to which the techniques and methods are selected. However, packaging of finished products acts as a protective layer against various deteriorative changes. As the technology has advanced, there are innovations in food processing too. The most commonly used methods today are modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) which is altering the atmosphere surrounding the food product and controlled atmosphere packaging (CAP) which uses continuous monitoring and control of the atmosphere surrounding the food product. This report will assess the principles of these methods, their applications, the techniques through which they are applied, and their future growth and limitations. Principles and Theory of Modified and Controlled Atmosphere Packaging: Modified Atmospheric Pressure (MAP) is a method of preserving and prolonging the shelf life of the food products. This technique was discovered in the 1930s when fruits and other products were transported to different parts of the world in ships and they tended to have increased shelf lives due to the carbon dioxide which was present in their holding rooms. Then eventually in the 1970s, the modified atmospheric packaging reached the supermarkets and stores when fish and bacon were sent to be sold in Mexico in retail packs. The technological advancement has taken place since then and thus there has been a continuous growth in the modified atmospheric packaging in regard to the increased consumer demand (Robertson, 2012). The MAP also has many theoretical explanations of why it has become popular and simply a need for the shopkeepers. Commercialization is also a major reason why MAP is widely used to fulfill the requirements of the consumer. Shopkeepers need to maintain their profit levels and satisfy their customers. None of the customers want to buy fruits or vegetables that are not fresh. Many of the supermarkets buy goods in large stocks and preserve them. However, it wasn’t likely for every market to buy huge stocks of fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products and leave them to rot after a day. Thus, engineers from the food processing industry introduced this technique which helped the shopkeepers to maintain and retain the shelf life of their perishable products (Han, 2005). Since then, the need and use of MAP has increased with advancement that take place frequently. These advances are in the shape of different techniques and ways of application to improve the product life as well as quality. The three main types of food which are subjected to MAP are meat, seafood, and foods and vegetables. Other foods are pasta, bakery goods, cheese, cooked and cured meats, poultry, ready meals, fruits and vegetables, seafood, and red meat. Today, almost 25-40% of all foods that are harvested freshly do not reach the consumers because of the mishandling and spoilage that takes place during the distribution (Ahmed, 2012). Controlled Atmosphere Packaging (CAP) is a condition in which the steady state environment is created comprising of a composition of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. This atmospheric state is monitored and maintained in order to increase the shelf life of the product. CAP is usually used to control the atmosphere of the storage area or warehouse where the products are kept so that they are not wasted or rotted (Blakistone, 1998). Both the MAP and CAP methods are used to save the products from rotting earlier. The consumer trends have changed and the growth in the emerging markets have created a permanent shift in the packaging market. Consumers have demands for products that have a prolonged shelf life in order to avoid the issues of cost and waste. Manufacturers and retailers are in their efforts to satisfy the consumer demands and provide them fresh products through the methods of MAP and CAP that have given them access to a variety of benefits such as increased networks for distribution (Blakistone, 1998). Environmental awareness campaigns are a recent phenomenon which helps in galvanizing the demand for MAP and CAP. Since MAP and CAP are techniques that are used to increase the shelf life of the products, this means that consumers and retailers are less likely to waste the food products. Environmental benefits are thus realized from both the perspectives of the consumer and the manufacturer. The developing countries are playing a major role in the development of the MAP and CAP techniques as it is economical and practical. The markets which use these methods have increased demands and suppliers shift their focus towards them. Innovation is also an important aspect for these techniques which is greatly expected in the coming years as the method is getting increasingly popular (Han, 2005). Application of Technique in Dairy and Meat Processing Industries: Modified atmosphere is a practice in which the composition of the internal atmosphere of a food package is modified for the purpose of increasing its shelf life. The main purpose of the modified atmosphere is to reduce the amount of oxygen inside the package from 20.9% to 0%. This slows down the development and growth of the aerobic organisms and reduces the speed of the oxidation reactions. The oxygen which is removed from the package is often replaced with nitrogen or carbon dioxide which functions in lowering the pH value and restraining the bacteria growth inside the package. For meat, usually carbon monoxide is used with the principle of preserving its red color (Arvanitoyannis, 2012). Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is simply the technique to prolong the shelf life of those foods which are fresh or minimally processed. This is a technique used to preserve the food and keeps it fresh using the technique of changing of composition of the air in the package. The fresh state of the food may then be maintained and prolonged as the air composition prevents the bacteria and organisms from growing and spoiling the food product (Fellows, 2000). The method is most commonly used for perishable goods such as meat, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products that must be protected from the natural deterioration and growth of bacteria. As the demand for fresh products has increased in consumers and the advancement of technology has allowed certain methods to be used to retain the freshness of the products, MAP is greatly becoming the integral part of the food processing industry. With the extended shelf life, the MAP method also helps in retaining the properties of the food. Today, most of the foods in the United States and United Kingdom are packed and undergone the method of MAP. Since most of the foods are canned and packed in order to keep them safe from the atmospheric changes, MAP is used in a majority of these frozen or canned foods. Cheese and meat are non-respiring products which need low gas permeability films. The flushed gas-mixture initially will be maintained within the modified atmosphere packaging. On the other hand, fruits and vegetables are the respiring products in which the interaction of the product with the packaging material is important to consider and so high permeability films are consumed for these products. Thus the product’s packaging film is selected as per the level of respiration of the products which varies greatly. However, according to the type and properties of the product, the equilibrium modified atmosphere is established inside the package due to which the shelf life of the product increases (Arvanitoyannis, 2012). The controlled atmosphere packaging is a technique which is used in the storage of the foods. The technique involves keeping the food products in an atmosphere where the oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide concentrations are regulated and the humidity and temperature is maintained according to the needs of the products. Dry commodities such as the grains and oilseed are kept in controlled atmospheres to control the insect pests because insects do not live without oxygen or where there are high levels of carbon dioxide. Controlled atmosphere techniques can also take several weeks at time with continuous lower temperatures (Robertson, 2012). These compositions and temperatures are created through the addition of pure gases carbon dioxide or nitrogen or by the usage of natural respiration effects to lower the oxygen level and increase the carbon dioxide. Fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy products are given a combination of composed atmospheric conditions with reduced temperatures that allow them to be stored for long with a slow decrease in quality (Fellows, 2000). Both these techniques are greatly applied in the developed countries in huge supermarkets which satisfy their consumers and reduce their cost of waste. In the meat and dairy products industries both these techniques are applied in order to preserve the products and maintain their shelf life. Dairy products such as cheese and milk are stored in rooms where the temperatures are maintained and regulated frequently according to the needs. There are high chances of bacteria and insects to reach these products and rot them before time and thus they get wasted. Retailers in supermarkets tend to create storage areas and shelves for dairy products where they continuously get the required temperatures which help them in staying fresh (Arvanitoyannis, 2012). In meat industries, MAP and CAP are both used very commonly. This is because meat is a product which needs to be preserved for days and has properties due to which it can rot easily as well. Consumers demand fresh meat because of which both the techniques are applied to meat especially red meat. MAP is applied to reduce the oxygen in the packaging and increase the level of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide to prolong its freshness and maintain the red color (Fellows, 2000). CAP is used in supermarkets by retailers where separate sections or rooms are made for the meat which have low temperatures and regulated compositions of air used to prolong the freshness. The Variety of Techniques Being Used: MAP is a technique which has advanced greatly ever since it was introduced. It managed a blend of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen in a package in which the food product is adjusted. This technique must be carefully controlled and maintained to meet the needs of each type of product which is packaged. Plastic films and foils along with other packaging materials are used to demonstrate the properties of the specified gas permeability and water vapor permeability properties which are used. MAP packages are used as per the type and characteristics of the food product. Water vapor transmission rates, film permeability, and the sealing characteristics of the packaging must be monitored closely and tested before the packaging is used (Ohlsson, 2002). Monitoring must be carried out at every stage because the performance characteristics may tend to change with each stage. The food spoilers which are in the shape of bacteria or molds require oxygen to grow or for the oxidation reactions in the food tissues. Thus there are some gases which are used for this process with certain techniques that are used to prolong the shelf life of the food products. The regular composition of the air is 78% of nitrogen, 21% of oxygen, 0.03% of carbon dioxide and all the other noble gases. However, the gases which are used in MAP are oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen (Ahmed, 2012). The carbon dioxide gas is used to discourage the growth of fungi and aerobic bacteria at low temperatures. Certain packages are filled completely with carbon dioxide and they collapse at low temperatures as the gas becomes soluble in food and water. This is a property which is advantageous in packaging certain products such as cheese. Oxygen is used to aid several food spoilage reactions such as browning reactions, fat oxidation, and unsightly color changes. Many of the bacteria need oxygen and fungi as well; both of which cause food spoilage (Gould, 1995). In order to prevent the food products from these reactions, the oxygen is concentrated in the package and reduced to a minimum. But the oxygen is not completely removed as it can favor specific microorganisms which do not need oxygen for growth. Nitrogen gas is non-reactive and it has no taste or smell. Nitrogen is not absorbed in water or food rather it is a filler gas which replaces oxygen and prevents spoilage, and also used as a replacement of carbon dioxide to prevent package collapse. These gases are used alone and also in combination but certain gas levels depend on the food nature and type. If the food type is the one which can easily be spoiled by the bacteria, the package should be filled with carbon dioxide. Fruits and vegetables continually respire even after being harvested and so they use oxygen and release carbon dioxide (Ohlsson, 2002). The modified atmospheres are to be created passively or actively. Passive modified atmospheres involve the high levels of CO2 and low levels of O2 due to the food respiration. The food product changes the atmosphere as it respires. Active modified temperatures are achieves through gas flushing or compensated vacuum. Gas flushing is a technique in which the package is run through the mixture of gases and then it is sealed. Through this, there is only some oxygen which is left in the package. The technique of compensated vacuum involved two basic steps: creating a vacuum inside the package and then filling the gas mixture. Through this there is only little or no oxygen left in the package. Calculations are also done before the MAP takes place for the material to be chosen, the properties of the food product, the type, and the predicted behavior of the gases (Gould, 1995). Controlled atmosphere packaging is used as a supplement to the proper temperature and humidity management. There are some simple techniques which are used to modify the composition of the air in the room or storage environment. The air which enters the storage room is regulated, monitored, and controlled to prevent waste or spoilage. Oxygen gas is controlled through keeping at a lower level and carbon dioxide gas is controlled to increase the dry ice and pressurized gas cylinder. The carbon dioxide levels in the controlled atmosphere room are controlled by the hydrated lime ‘scrubber’ which is one of the simplest techniques to be used in this method (Ohlsson, 2002). The scrubber is made using the insulated and airtight box of plywood which is located outside the controlled atmosphere room. The box contains enough lime for the storage period and new lime can be added if there is less absorption of CO2. The CO2 and the hydrated lime react in a ratio of 1:1 and form water and limestone. About 12 kg of lime is used to keep CO2 lower than 2% per metric tons of apples for storage of 3 to 4 months. Another simple technique that is used in order to store food products in controlled atmosphere conditions is using the constructing plastic tents of 20 mil polyvinylchloride sheeting over traditional pallet racks placed inside a cold storage warehouse. These tents can be closed or sealed by zippers. The plastic tent is low cost sheeting which can be effectively used to control the atmosphere storage for fruits and vegetables. There is a small fan which circulates the storage air of the controlled atmosphere room. Spoilage and ripening is delayed because ethylene is scrubbed through the storage air (Ohlsson, 2002). Future Growth and Limitations: As there are rapid technological changes that are leading to the development of exciting new modifications and ways of preservative packaging, the MAP may also develop according to these advancements. The future of the MAP on the current and future consumer demands are based on the new technologies and opportunities that the engineers get. There are key driving trends and technologies which shape the industry and predictions are made about the positions of MAP and CAP in the next decade. The key driving factors for the growth of MAP is the market position, sales type, geographic region, and the competition level in the developing countries (McMillin, 2008). As the countries are highly depending upon one another for the trade and business to improve their economies, the trend of imports and exports have also greatly increased. With the trend, there are more products which are transported to several countries from across the world. For such purposes, MAP and CAP are seen as the most promising methods which would prevent the food products and act as a helping hand for the manufacturers and retailers. Food products can be easily transported with these techniques and it could help in the economic relations and trade amongst countries worldwide. The advancements in different chemicals and uses of gases can also create more efficient ways through which these techniques can be used. There are also possible cheaper methods of MAP and CAP which are expected to be discovered and used in the future (Yahia, 2010). Thus, a majority of the market area is dependent on the technological advancement of MAP and CAP methods. However, there are also certain limitations to the methods which are linked to the increasing number of methods that are introducing every day. With the advancement, there are also many alternative ways of preserving food and increasing their shelf life. These methods can be a threat to the use of MAP and CAP methods. Conclusion However, the report analyzes the principles, theories, applications, techniques, and future growth of the modified atmosphere packaging and controlled atmosphere packaging. Both the processes are widely used today across the world as effective techniques to prevent the food from natural or bacterial deterioration. These methods improve the shelf life of the food products and slowly amount to the loss of quality. References Ahmed, J. (2012). Handbook of Food Process Design. John Wiley & Sons Arvanitoyannis, I. (2012). Modified Atmosphere and Active Packaging Technologies. London: CRC Press Blakistone, B. (1998). Principles and Applications of Modified Atmosphere Packaging of Foods. London: Springer Fellows, P. (2000). Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice. NY: CRC Press Gould, G. (1995). New Methods of Food Preservation. London: Springer Han, J. (2005). Innovations in Food Processing. London: Elsevier Ltd McMillin, K. (2008). Where is MAP going? A review and future potential of modified atmosphere packaging for meat. London: Elsevier Ohlsson, T. (2002). Minimal Processing Technologies in the Food Industry. CRC Press Robertson, G. (2012). Food Packaging: Principles and Practice. CRC Press Yahia, E. (2010). Modified and Controlled Atmospheres for the Storage, Transportation, and Packaging of Horticultural Commodities. CRC Press Read More