UNIT-I : FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT
2
What is Food Science?
Food Science is a multi-disciplinary field involving chemistry,
biochemistry, nutrition, microbiology and engineering to give one the
scientific knowledge to solve real problems associated with the
many facets of the food system. The basis of the discipline lies in an
understanding of the chemistry of food components, such as
proteins, carbohydrates, fats and water and the reactions they
undergo during processing and storage. A complete understanding
of processing and preservation methods is required including
drying, freezing, pasteurization, canning, irradiation, extrusion, to
name just a few. The ability to carry out analysis of food
constituents is developed along with statistical quality control
methods. The microbiology and the safety aspects of food must also
be understood. Other topics covered include food additives, the
physico-chemical properties of food, flavor chemistry, product
development, food engineering and packaging. Food science
integrates this broad-based knowledge and focuses it on food.
Food Science
is still a relatively new and growing discipline, brought about mainly
as a response to the social changes taking place in North America
and other parts of the developed world. The food industry, which
originally provided only primary products for final preparation in the
home, finds itself responding to market demands for more refined,
sophisticated, and convenient products. The demand for easy to
prepare, convenience foods, poses major scientific and
technological challenges which cannot be met without highly trained
scientists capable of understanding the complex
chemistry/biochemistry of food systems and knowledge of the
methods to preserve them. This increased reliance of society on
ready-to-eat foods has led to greater responsibility for processors in
terms of quality, safety and nutrition. In order to ensure high quality
and competitive products, scientific principles and new technologies