Tag: <span>food processing</span>

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Food processing is an essential procedure in order to change raw ingredients into other forms to make it more useful for both humans and animals. The techniques may actually be employed at home. For larger productions though, such as those in food manufacturing industries, food processing machinery is considered an important tool to facilitate the process and provide the demands of customers.

The most common food processing methods are baking, deep-frying, mixing, boiling, broiling, grilling and steaming. At times, it may also comprise of methods such as liquefaction, fermentation, pasteurization, packaging, gasification and spray drying. Most industries making use of food processing machinery are enumerated as follows.

Cannery

Cannery or canning is a food preservation process where food is processed first before it is placed inside an air-tight container. For smaller production, the process may be done at home. However, for several canned goods produced by big names in the industry, food processing machinery is important. Canning is completed through the use of other techniques such as freezing and vacuum treatments.

Rendering

Rendering is a processing of food technique that transforms meat or animal remains to fatty-like substances such as lard. It is done using a slow heating process. While it is favored in industrial scales, the method may also be adapted at home. The extract comes from expired meats from grocery stores and butcher shop trimmings.

Meat packing industry

This industry is responsible not only in the meat packing business but the slaughtering and distribution of meat products that come from pigs, cattle, sheep and other forms of livestock. This type of business is geared in providing humans their daily consumption. At some points, however, rendering is already a part of this business.

Sugar industry

Sugar is a sweet-tasting substance that may be in the form of white or brown grains. This sweetener is usually extracted from sugarcane and though the process may be done manually, machine intervention is necessary. It is also one of the focal points of the food processing industry.

Other industries relying upon food processing machinery are flour milling and vegetable packing.

Any technique requiring bulk productions may not be possible without the help from such equipment. Bakeries also produce pastries and breads through the help of some of these tools. Dicers, mixers and bowl cutters are specific examples of this machinery. These machines promise to provide much ease and faster turnaround time for any of their users.

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Source by Richard C. Milton

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Food processing, by definition, pertains to different types of methods used in converting raw ingredients into dishes. If this is done on a large scale, as is the case in restaurants, then it can be termed commercial food processing. Like any other form of commercial process, the processing of food on a commercial scale is also dependent on machines and equipment to be efficient and reliable. As any person involved in the dining industry would agree, there are no set or uniform categories in different commercial food processing equipment that can be classified. Still, on a tentative note, commercial food processing equipment can be categorized into five groups. The following are details.

1. Blenders:

When it comes to blenders, the difference between the domestic variants and industrial variants is primarily related to the amount of ingredients that can be blended in one session. Needless to say, commercial food processing equipments, like industrial blenders, hold the capacity to process more ingredients than domestic blenders. Having a blender that can meet the needs of the establishment is imperative because, without it, the time and effort that will go into making any dish would be almost doubled.

2. Meat grinders:

Grinding meat is one of the most dreaded and difficult processes involved with cooking. In fact, usually only professional cooks like to grind their own meat because this is the only way that they can ensure the purity of the ingredients. Apart from being difficult, grinding meat can also be very time consuming unless it is being done through industrial grade meat grinders. These are grinders that are particularly created to be able to handle a lot of meat in as less time as possible.

3. Mixers:

In the case of commercial establishments, it is only natural for certain basic batters and mixtures to be made virtually every day on a large scale to avoid having to do it repeatedly. This makes the commercial kitchen a more efficient place which means that it can cater to more people. These establishments achieve this efficiency by using mixers having extremely large capacities.

4. Slicers:

When an establishment caters to hundreds of people in a single day, it would be unrealistic to expect them to manually cut and slice vegetables or any similar ingredients. Instead, this sub process is done through commercial food processing equipments known as commercial slicers.

5. Peelers and Cutters:

The situation with peeling and cutting is the same as slicers. Notably, peeling can take even more time than slicing or cutting if done manually. Hence, commercial food processing equipment that can handle peeling or cutting can be used to an extremely good effect.

The underlying theme of commercial food processing equipment is that they can increase the output of the dining establishment almost exponentially. Furthermore, when the food is being cooked for a lot of people on a commercial basis, it needs to be standardized. This is another quality of commercial food processing equipment.

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Source by Nicole Roberts

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Food and beverages companies are continuously looking for new innovative ways to increase their sales and market share and for the same purpose they are adding new products in markets. They are also doing it by innovating more professional promotional campaigns. New techniques and methods are invented everyday to increase the quality of the processed food.

Salting and drying are said to be the techniques used by humans to process their food’s freshness and increase its flavor. But nowadays, new and improved techniques have helped in increasing our food supply by extended preserving time. These new techniques delays and sometimes completely stops the rotting process and also increases the variety and the flavor of the available food products.

One such technique used in food processing industry is the “extrusion”. Various processed foods such as all snacks, breakfast cereals, confectionery and some pet food also are now manufactured by using a technique called extrusion. The process of extrusion basically includes compressing the food to make it a semi-solid mass and then passing it through a very small orifice to enhance the variety of texture, shapes and colors obtained from basic food stuff. This technique has given the opportunity to increase the variety of designs, shapes and texture of the same products again and again. In fact this technique of extrusion form and very occasionally cook raw food stuff into finished processed food stuff.

This all is done through an extrusion machine called ‘extruder’. Normally, an extruder contains a power supply to run the main screw, a feeder to push all the raw ingredients in and a barrel to surround the main part i.e. screw. This screw passes on the raw material through and towards a shaped hole and the die from which the shape of the product forms. The good thing about this process of extrusion is that it can be done under very high temperature and pressure and even in a simple non-cooking and forming process. One of the biggest advantages of applying extrusion technology for food production in food processing industry is the fact that it helps in preserving the food products. This process is also used to limit the water related activities of the food stuff. This in turn, checks the growth of micro-organisms and also the spoilage. Therefore, extrusion is considered very useful for production of shelf-stable for and is gaining importance for the production of variety of processed foods such as snacks, breakfast cereals and many types of confectioneries.

We all know that snacks sector is the fastest growing sector in food processing industry and this new technique called extrusion has already made its mark as a source for manufacturing new and creative products. Mostly cereals can be extruded now and all products containing cereals [e.g. bread, breakfast cereals and cakes] can be processed through the technique of extrusion. It is also used to prepare many pet foods.

This technique is very widely used for preparation of food for army, camps, food needed to fulfill some special dietary needs and most importantly feeding during natural disasters and their recovery tenure. The use of extrusion technique has successfully produced new and fresh variety of food products and holds a very big promise to the mankind in future

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Source by Dagur Jonsson

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This article is part of a series that will uncover the secrets of the Food Processing Industry and share with you the secrets of how your favorite food is made.

The first article in this series starts with the humble fish stick or fish finger. A childhood treat, and a adult favorite either on a plate with peas and chips or between to slices of white bread. BUT always served with Tomato Ketchup.

The Fish

The first component is the Fish, this is a frozen block about 2 ft by 1 ft by 3 inches. It is made from fish mince (cheaper end of the market) this tends to be all the left over pieces of fish. Or it can be made from whole fillets that are layered on top of each other(the expensive end of the market).

To be honest nutritionally there is not that much difference between the two. The type of fish can be COD for the expensive end or pollack for the cheaper sticks. These blocks are made within hours of the boat landing, which means the fish is about 6 hours old when it is frozen.

Making The Stick

Using a food processing band saw, skilled operators cut the block into slabs, then cut it again into fingers. The more expensive the thicker the finger the cheaper the thinner. Typical a good fish finger will be about 1cm thick, whereas the cheaper one can be 0.5 cm. These sticks are then separated and passed to the coating stage.

Adding the Breadcrumb

Similar to what you see in restaurants or TV shows, the fish is coated in a batter then breadcrumbs. BUT this is truly where the cheapness is added. If your buying cheap fish sticks they will add a layer of water, a layer of flour, a layer of batter, a layer of crumb. In the trade this is called a 4 pass and can add upto 70% bread crumb to the stick. This type can often be identified as it is extra crunchy and has almost no fish. The high end fish sticks will have a 3 pass system and often have fish contents around 60%.

So in your 300g packet of fish sticks you could have 90g fish (cheap) or 210g (expensive)

This whole process is carried out through a food processing production line of automatic coating machines. Typically a line can produce 100-200 fish fingers a minute.

Fry Time

Up to this point the fish stick is quite healthy with almost no fat….. However the stick passes through a industrial fryer that has hot oil . This makes the coating extra crunchy, this is due to the water in the coating being replaced with very hot oil. Typically all the water in the coating is replaced with Fat.

This means the more coating the more fat, now typically food processors use vegetable oil or rape oil. Neither of which has saturated fats

Frozen and sent to the freezer

Within 30 minutes of frying the product has been frozen, and grouped together to then be put into the food processing packaging machine before sending to the shops.

Considering the speed of the Fish freezing process and the Packaging process, you cant make a fish stick fresher if you tried.

Final Verdict

Fish Sticks or fish fingers, when compared to other coated products like chicken strips, are healthier, fresher and have fewer additives. So I would definitely put Fish sticks first before other coated products.

If I’m picking a Fish stick try to get ones which have a high fish content, this is typically shown as a % in the ingredient Declaration. This often means it is made with whole fish not mince and has a lower fat content.

The type of fish really doesn’t matter, some will argue that a cod fish finger is the best but be honest, you’re going to dip it in Ketchup. Once you have done that I doubt you can tell the difference, except that your wallet is a little less full.

Each week I plan to reveal how everyday food products are made.

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Source by Dan S Jensen

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Painting contractors know that the food processing industry have some of the most difficult requirements when it comes to food safe floor coatings applications. Food products, after all, require special care in processing and handling, and the environment where these products are processed, specifically the floor coatings system, must guarantee a food-safe facility.

Foremost of these requirements are the environmental conditions in most food processing facilities, which is not like just any ordinary production plant. Food preparation areas are filled with constant human and mechanical activities, such as loading, packing, cleaning, food assembly, storing, and the like. Then there are the ingredients — oils, acids, and chemicals — that are commonly handled or spilled on facility floors. Any of these environmental conditions require for food safe floor coatings systems resistant to this kind of daily abuse.

The second consideration is that food processing plants naturally fall under the influence of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which requires food manufacturers and processors to comply with its safety and health regulations. Food safe floor coatings systems should be able to support the regulated standards on sanitation and safety set by the FDA.

FDA Flooring Systems Regulations for Food Processing Plants

The FDA has safety and hygiene regulations that require strict compliance from the food processing industry. Food processors will not be able to operate without certification from the FDA. Even existing plants are still in danger of being fined or shut down if the FDA finds evidences of non-compliance. There is also the possibility of forcible product recalls, urged by the FDA, should a quality inspection reveal violations of the standards. Any of these situations could cost the plant significant business losses.

The FDA has stringent quality guidelines for food processing facilities because it is protecting the populace against health-threatening pathogens such as e. coli, listeria or salmonella. These pathogens thrive in poorly-processed food and unsanitary environments, and can be transmitted to the food-consuming community.

Food processing plants are required to maintain clean areas at all times. This includes floorings that should be easy to clean and sanitize. This means that these products are durable and tough against sanitizing chemicals and the frequent cleaning process.

FDA Food Safe Floor Coatings and Finishes

Section III of the Food Establishment Plan Review Guide covers the FDA’s design, installation and construction recommendations for food facilities. Part 10 of this section covers specific guidelines on floor finishes.

Quarry or commercial grade vinyl composition tile, as well as seamlessly-poured and sealed concrete are the approved finishes for kitchens, food preparation and storage rooms, and the waste disposal and washing areas in food manufacturing facilities. This is also true for walk-in refrigeration and freezer areas, with the addition of stainless steel and poured synthetic materials. The use of any materials aside from these must be submitted to the FDA for evaluation and approval.

The reason why these finishes are acceptable is that they make for smooth, non-absorbent and easy-to-clean floorings. Additionally, food safe floor coatings of epoxy-, silicone- or polyurethane-based materials are required to maintain the flooring performance and provide long-lasting performance.

FDA regulations do not cover any specific floor coating formulation, per se. The material composition of the coatings is what is considered in determining food safe floor coatings. Non-toxic materials are preferred, as well as materials that would not provide an environment for harmful pathogens or food contaminants to proliferate.

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Source by Steve A. Parker