Role of food chemistry in food preservation and food processing:
Abstract:
Chemistry have major importance and use in Food Processing area. Food chemistry deals with the
study of chemical processes and related to the all biological and non-biological components of
foods. It insure us about changes in foods take place during processing and storage. Also, it
provides techniques and methods either to magnifying the changes in food like intensify of
fermentation by conversion of lactose to lactic acid by microorganisms or to prevent changes in
foods like prevention of browning in apples and pears. The chemical processes that taking place
inside food determine its nutritional activity, value, taste, texture and freshness. Such as any other
organic material, food can decompose with a time period. The importance of food chemistry lies
in its capability to counter the effects of decomposition and spoilage and increase the shelf life of
foods. Various household chemicals that instance us in preservation of foods as use of common
salt in pickles, chutney, sauces etc. These enhance the osmotic pressure of food and decrease the
water activity, which more prevents the growth of microorganisms in Food. Common technique
of food preservation include salting, cooking, drying, refrigeration, canning, irradiation,
dehydration, wood smoke, use of spices, pickling, fermentation etc. The aim and target of these
methods is to made an unfavorable environment for microbes that causes food spoilage. Other
prevention of chemicals like sodium benzoate, calcium propionate, vinegar, citric and ascorbic
acid are chemical prevention that plays major role in preservation of fruits and vegetables
substances like jam, jellies, marmalades, pickles, chutneys, ketch-ups, non-alcoholic beverages
etc. and bakery substances like bread, cakes etc. All of these chemicals either stop the activity of
microorganisms or destroy them.
Historical Preservatives
The first experiment in about food processing, the most important working involved microbial
inactivation was described at the end of the 19th century by Hite (1899) and results of pressure on
physical properties of foods were announced soon after, by others like as Bridgman (1914). His
work is ‘on the coagulation of egg albumin’. Payne’s and Herman’s (1969) ‘effects of the pressure
on the beta-casein from milk’ and Macfarlane (1973) ‘on pressure–tenderization of meat’. After a