UNIT-III

Preservation Processes
In the food industry, we refer to the processing steps required
to eliminate the potential for foodborne illness as
preservation processes. Pasteurization is one of the traditional
preservation processes, and uses thermal energy to increase
the product temperature and inactivate specific pathogenic
microorganisms. Pasteurization results in a shelf-stable
product with refrigeration. Commercial sterilization is a more
intense thermal process to reduce the population of all micro-
organisms in the product and leads to shelf-stable products in
cans and similar containers. Recently, technologies such as
high pressure and pulsed electric fields have been
investigated to reduce microbial populations in foods without
the need for thermal energy.
 PROCESSING SYSTEMS
The systems used for preservation of foods will vary
significantly with the type of process being used. Traditional
thermal processing systems are designed to provide the
desired increase in product temperature, followed by a
period of holding time and cooling from the elevated
temperature. Systems for alternative preservation
processes involve bringing a treatment agent into contact
with the food product for the period of time needed to
reduce the action of deterioration reactions within the
product. The design of all processing systems is unique for
the specific food products being processed.
 Pasteurization and Blanching Systems
Many foods receive a mild thermal process designed to
eliminate pathogenic microorganisms and other components
causing deterioration of the product and to extend the shelf-life
and the safety of the food product. The most recognized of these
processes is pasteurization—a thermal process used to eliminate
specific pathogenic micro- organisms from a food. Blanching is a
similar thermal process used to inactivate enzymes in foods and
prevent the deterioration reactions in the product. Both
processes accomplish the desired result without using the high
temperatures normally associated with commercial sterilization.
Most pasteurization systems are designed for liquid
foods, and with specific attention to achieving a
specific time-temperature process. The continuous
high- temperature-short-time (HTST) pasteurization
system has several basic components, including the
following:
Flow diversion valve.
An important control point in any pasteurization system is
the flow diversion valve (FDV). This remotely activated valve
is located downstream from the holding tube. A
temperature sensor located at the exit to the holding tube
activates the FDV; when the temperature is above the
established pasteurization temperature, the valve is
maintained in a forward flow position. If the product
temperature drops below the desired pasteurization
temperature, the FDV diverts the product flow to the
unheated product inlet to the system. The valve and sensor
prevent product that has not received the established time-
temperature treatment from reaching the product
packaging system.
 BLANCHING
A blanching system achieves a process similar to pasteurization, but
with application to a solid food and to inactivate an enzyme system.
Since these systems are designed for solid foods, conveying systems
are used to carry the product through the system. The environment
within the system, where the product pieces are heated, is steam or
heated water. The design and speed of the conveyor ensures that the
thermal treatment of the product provides the desired inactivation of
the enzyme system for a given product. In general, the slowest heating
location of the product pieces will increase in temperature during the
initial stage of the process, while the product is exposed to the steam
or hot water. During the second stage of the process, the product is
exposed to a cold environment, usually cold air or water. The
temperature-time profile at the slowest heating/cooling location of the
product pieces are critical in ensuring the process, and are established
by the speed of the conveyor through both stages of the system.
A schematic of a typical blanching system
 Commercial Sterilization Systems
The use of a thermal process to achieve a shelf-stable food product is
referred to as commercial sterilization. The systems used to
accomplish a thermal process are designed to increase the product
temperature to rather high magnitudes for specified periods of time.
Typically, the temperatures used for these processes exceed the
boiling point of water, and the equipment must include this capability.
The systems used for commercial sterilization are in three categories:
batch, continuous, and aseptic. When considering these categories,
the batch and continuous systems accomplish the thermal treatment
after the product is placed in the container or package. For systems in
the aseptic category, the process is accomplished before the product
is placed in the container or package, and the container or package
requires a separate process.
 Batch Systems
The typical batch system for commercial sterilization is
referred to as a still retort. As illustrated by Figure , a still retort
is a vessel designed to expose the product to temperatures
above the boiling point of water. The vessel must maintain
pressures up to 475 kPa, or the pressures needed to maintain
steam temperature as high as 135-1508C. The control system
is designed to allow the environment (pressure and
temperature) within the vessel to be increased to some
desired level for a specified time, held at the desired condition
for a specified time, and then returned to ambient pressure
and temperature conditions. For these systems, the product is
introduced into the vessel after being placed into a container
or package and sealed.
For a typical process, the product containers (with product) would
be placed into the vessel. After the vessel is sealed, high-pressure
steam would be released into the vessel until the desired pressure
and temperature are reached. After the final pressure and
temperature are reached, the product (in containers) is held for a
predetermined period of time. The period of time, at the specified
temperature, is established in advance, and delivers the desired
thermal treatment for commercial sterilization of the product.
Following the holding period, the pressure is released and the
temperature surrounding the product containers decreases .
 Continuous Retort Systems
Various systems have been developed to allow commercial
sterilization to be accomplished in a retort and in a
continuous manner. One approach is referred to as the
crateless retort, and involves a design of the processing
vessel to allow for automated filling and discharge of
product containers. The approach is actually semi-
continuous, in that the vessel is first filled with product
containers, followed by sealing of the vessel, prior to
administration of the thermal process in the same manner
as the batch system. Following the process, the product
containers are removed in an automated manner.
A truly continuous process is the hydrostatic sterilization system
illustrated in Figure 5.4. The hydrostatic system uses a tower and two
columns of water to maintain a high pressure steam environment for
the product containers to move through. The height of the water
columns is sufficient to maintain the desired steam pressure and
temperature. The product conveyor carries the containers through
the system in a continuous manner. The product containers enter the
system through a column of hot water and heating of product is
initiated. The heating of the product is completed as the product is
conveyed through the steam environment. The final stage of the
process is accomplished as the product containers are conveyed
through a column of cold water. The residence time for product
within the system is a function of the conveyor speed. Ultimately, the
desired process for the product is a function of the steam
temperature and the time required for product to be conveyed
through the system.
 Pouch Processing Systems
Most commercial sterilization systems are designed for food
product placed in metal cans. An alternative system for
product placed in a flexible pouch requires an approach to
suspend the pouch in the steam environment within the
retort vessel. The design of this batch system includes a
unique crate within the vessel to suspend the product
pouches in the steam environment and allow the heating of
the product in the most efficient manner. By exposing both
sides of the thin pouch to the heating medium, the slowest
heating location of the product reaches the desired
temperature rapidly, and can be cooled rapidly to complete
the thermal process.
 Aseptic Processing Systems
Another approach to continuous sterilization of a food product is
referred to as aseptic processing as illustrated in Figure 5.5. The unique
aspect of these systems is that the product is thermally processed prior
to being placed in a container. The systems require independent
sterilization of the container, and placement of the product into the
container while in an aseptic environment. These systems are limited
to products that can be pumped through a heat exchanger for both
heating and cooling. By using high pressure steam as a heating medium
in a heat exchanger, the product can be heated to temperatures in
excess of 1008C. Following the heating step, the product is pumped
through a holding tube for residence time needed to achieve the
desired thermal process. Product cooling is accomplished in a heat
exchanger using cold water as a cooling medium. These systems cannot
be used for solid foods, but have been adapted for high viscosity foods
and liquid products containing solid particles.
 Ultra-High Pressure Systems
The use of high pressures to achieve food
preservation has evolved as a potential commercial
process. Historically, there have been demon-
strations of inactivation of microbial populations by
using ultra-high pressures in the range of 300 to 800
MPa. More recently, systems have been developed
and used to expose food products and achieve
significant reductions in microbial populations in the
product.
Ultra-high pressure Food processing
system
The typical system for ultra-high pressure (UHP)
processing of a food product is illustrated in Figure 5.6.
The primary component of the system is a vessel
designed to maintain the high pressures required for the
process. A transmitting medium within the vessel is in
contact with the product and delivers the impact of the
agent to the product and microbial population within the
product. Current systems operate in a batch or semi-
continuous mode.
A typical UHP process for a solid food or product in a container
would be accomplished by placing the product in the system vessel,
followed by filling the space around the product with the
transmitting medium. Pressure is increased by high pressure pumps
for the transmitting liquid or by activating a piston to reduce the
volume of the medium surrounding the product. After the desired
pressure is reached in the vessel, the pressure is maintained for the
period of time needed to accomplish the required reduction in
microbial population in the product. At the end of the holding
period, the pressure is released and the process is completed.
A system for pumpable product would use a high-
pressure transfer value to introduce product into the
vessel. For these types of semi- continuous systems, the
pressure is increased by introducing water behind a free
piston applied directly to the product. Following the
process, the product is pumped out of the vessel, and
the process cycle is repeated. The processed product
must be filled into packages or containers in an aseptic
environment.
During the UHP process, the product temperature
will be increased further to adiabatic heating. A
typical product would experience an increase of 38C
per 100 MPa, although the magnitude of increase
would vary with product composition. This
temperature increase may or may not influence the
process depending on the temperature of the
product entering the UHP system.
 5.1.4 Pulsed Electric Field Systems

The exposure of a food product to a pulsed electric

field results in a reduction in the microbial
population within the product. The application of
this process to a food product requires a component
to generate the electric field and a treatment
chamber to expose the product to the field in a
controlled manner.
In general, the treatment chamber includes a method for
conveying the product through an environment where it is
exposed to the pulsed electric field for a controlled period of
time. Most systems are designed for liquid foods that can be
pumped through a tube or pipe, and the components used to
generate the electric field are designed to surround the tube or
pipe. The portion of the sys- tem designed to create the
electric field has at least two electrodes: one high voltage and
the other at ground level. The treatment involves exposing the
product to pulses of voltage between the two electrodes.
Several different configurations for the electrodes and
the product flow have been developed, as illustrated in
Figure 5.7. These config- urations include parallel plate,
coaxial, and colinear. Although the parallel plate
arrangement provides the most uniform electric field
intensity, the intensity is reduced in boundary regions.
At product flow rates for commercial operations, the
frequency of pulses results in product temperature rise.
A primary process variable is the electric field intensity.
Depending on the microbial population, the intensities may
be as low as 2 kV/cm or as high as 35 kV/cm. For all
microorganisms, the rate of reduction in the population will
increase as the field intensity is increased. The pulse
geometry is an additional factor influencing the process.
Temperature is an additional variable, and has a highly
synergistic influence on the effectiveness of the process.
Product composition may influence the process, with
products creating higher electrical conductivity,
contributing to the effectiveness of the process. The
existence of gas bubbles or particles in the product liquid
require careful consideration as well.
 5.1.5 Alternative Preservation Systems
A variety of other preservation technologies have
been investigated. These technologies include
ultraviolet light, pulsed light, and ultra- sound. The
applications of these technologies have not evolved
to commercial-scale operations. Very limited
information on the application of high voltage arc
discharge, oscillating magnetic fields, and X-rays to
foods is available. Microwave and radio frequency
and ohmic-induction heating systems have been
developed for foods, but depend on the increase of
product temperature to achieve the process.
 5.2 MICROBIAL SURVIVOR CURVES
During preservation processes for foods, an external agent
is used to reduce the population of microorganisms present
in the food. The population of vegetative cells such as E.
coli, Salmonella, or Listeria monocytogenes will decrease in
a pattern as shown in Figure 5.8. The population of
microbial spores will decrease in a similar manner, but after
an initial lag period. These curves are referred to as
microbial survivor curves. Although the shape of these
curves is often described by a first-order model, there is
increasing evidence that alternate models are more
appropriate when the application is the design of a
preservation process.
preservation process are described in terms of first-order
rate constants (k).
 5.3 INFLUENCE OF EXTERNAL AGENTS

The survivor curves for microbial populations are

influenced by external agents. As the magnitude of
preservation agents such as temperature, pressure,
and pulsed electric fields increase, the rate of the
microbial population reduction increases. Exposure
of a microbial population to an array of higher
temperatures results in an increasing slope for the
first-order curves.
Preservation of Food By Concentration
Food Preservation by Irradiation
Accelerated electron beams (E-beams)
 Frying
Frying is the cooking of food in oil or another fat. Similar to sautéing,
pan-fried foods are generally turned over once or twice during cooking, using
tongs or a spatula, while sautéed foods are cooked by "tossing in the pan". A
large variety of foods may be fried.
Because oil heats to a higher temperature than water, frying is faster than
boiling, and fried surfaces, rather than becoming soft as they do when boiled,
broiled, or steamed, coagulate. The resulting fried food is incomparably tasty,
crisp, and beautiful.
Advantages of Frying
1.It is quick method of cooking.
2.Fried food is very appetizing and tasty.
3.Fried foods have better keeping quality e.g. poories can be kept for a longer time as compared
to chapattis, without spoiling their taste and flavour.
4.Frying introduces variety in the meals, as fried foods are crisp in texture.
5.Fried foods have a higher satiety value.
6.It increases the calorific value of food.
7.In shallow fat frying, the amount of oil consumption can be controlled.
Disadvantages of Frying
1.Fried foods are difficult to digest as the food gets covered with a layer of fat first.
2.Due to high temperature the nutrient losses are higher particularly of fat-soluble
nutrients.
3.As fats and oils are expensive, it is not an economical method of cooking.
4.Sometimes the food may become oily or soggy with too much absorption of oil.
5.More attention is required while cooking and care should be taken to avoid accidents.
6.Repeated use of heated oils may produce harmful substances and reduces the smoking
point
First Reference to Discuss Frying of Oils and Fats
 Pickling
Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by
either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling
procedure typically affects the food's texture and flavor. The resulting food
is called a pickle, or, to prevent ambiguity, prefaced with pickled. Foods
that are pickled include vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, dairy and eggs.
Food Preservation by Pickling
An easy way to remember the difference between the two despite their overlap
is that pickling involves putting food into an acidic brine to produce a sour
flavor, whereas fermenting gives food a sour flavor without any added acid.
Pickling is often the least healthy choice in terms of these two foods.