COURSE CODE; FST 312

PHYSICAL CHEMICAL BIOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF PRESERVATION

Introduction

The main reasons for food preservation are to overcome inappropriate planning in
agriculture, produce value- added products, and provide variation in diet. The
agricultural industry produces raw food materials in different sectors. Inadequate
management or improper planning in agricultural production can be overcome by
avoiding inappropriate areas, times, and amounts of raw food materials as well as
by increasing storage life using simple methods of preservation. Value-added food
products can give better-quality foods in terms of improved nutritional, functional,
convenience, and sensory properties.

In food preservation, the important points that

need to be considered are

The desired level of quality

The preservation length

The group for whom the products are preserved

22.2 Preservation Methods Today:

Physical

Chemical

Biological

Chilling and cooling

Freezing
Blanching/Cooking

Pasteurization

Canning

Freezing

Drying/Dehydration

Separation/Filtration

Concentration

Irradiation

Modified/Controlled Atmospheric Packaging

Preservatives e.g benzoates, nitrites

Sugar

Salt

Spices

Additives e.g. antioxidants

Fermentation:

Alcoholic

Acetic

Lactic

22.2.1 PHYSICAL METHODS OF PRESERVATION:

Methods of preserving an array of local products for use throughout the year have
been based on traditional methods. More

sophisticated techniques such as irradiation may also extend shelf life mainly by
the destruction of enzymes and the inactivation of
microorganisms.

22.2.1.1 Chilling and cooling

Chilling may be referred to as the process that lowers the food temperature to a
safe storage temperature between 0° and 5°C, whereas cooling is a more general
term applied to the lowering of a food temperature. Chilled foods can potentially
present a greater risk to public safety than frozen foods. Keeping products at a low
temperature reduces the rate of microbiological and chemical deterioration of the
food. In most processed chilled foods, it is the microbial growth that limits

the shelf life; even the slow growth rates that occur under chilled conditions will
eventually result in microbial levels that can affect the food or present a potential
hazard. This microbial growth can result in the spoilage of the food (it may go
putrid or cloudy or show the effects of fermentation), but pathogens, if present,
may have the potential to grow and may show no noticeable signs of change in the

food. The relationship between the temperature of food (for example, in

preservation and storage) and its shelf life is evident in several food operations.

22.2.1.2 Freezing

Freezing of food does not render it sterile, although it can reduce the levels of
some susceptible microorganisms that is not significant

in the context of the overall microbial quality of the food. Once a frozen food is
defrosted, those viable microorganisms present will

grow and multiply.

Rapid freezing in blast freezers is desirable to prevent the formation of large ice
crystals that will tend to adversely affect the texture of

the food by disrupting cell integrity in fruits and vegetables or degrading the
muscle proteins of meat, fish and poultry.

Apart from enzymatic activity, there are many other chemical and physical
changes which may limit the shelf life of frozen food;
examples include fat oxidation and surface drying, both of which may occur over a
period of months, depending on the food.

Damage to tissue may also result from ice crystals, particularly in the case where
slow freezing occurred, for example, in a domestic

freezer. In commercial freezers, where temperatures of -40°C and below are

maintained, freezing of the product takes place quickly,

and the shelf-life is even longer.

It is important to avoid repeated freezing and thawing as this damages the food
resulting in a greater chance for microbial repair and

growth. (Richard Coles et al.,2001)

– Salting: Used extensively for pork, beef, and fish. Costly due to high price of
salt. Done mainly in cool weather followed by smoking.

– Sugaring: Used to preserve fruits for the winter. Jams and jellies. Expensive
because sugar was scarce commodity in early America.

– Pickling: Fermenting, used to preserve vegetables. Use of mild salt and vinegar
brine. It increases the salt content and reduces the

vitamin content of the food. Oldest form of food preservation.

– Cold storage: Used extensively in the northern U.S. Root cellars were used to
store vegetables at 30-40°F. Root cellars were replaced

by ice boxes in the mid 1800’s.

22.1 Food Preservation Shift:

During the late 18th century, there was a great demand for better preservation
methods for naval expeditions.

Food preservation methods used were not effective enough for long term use;
hence better methods were needed for safer food

consumption.
Nicolas Appert worked on his process for years before opening a factory in 1795.
He preserved many foods like: Meats, Gravies, Fish,

Vegetables – peas, onions, asparagus, spinach, etc. Fruits – currants, cherries,

nectarines, etc. Milk, eggs, and cream.

Louis Pasteur: Louis Pasteur believed that particles in the air cause contamination.
He found out that heating wines quickly to 130°F

after completion of fermentation processes would kill microbes, and unpleasant

flavours. This process is now known as

pasteurization, and is widely used in beer, milk, wine and vinegar making. This
method helped to set precautions to avoid spoilage of

food products. It opened the door for microbial research, especially in the food
industry.

22.2.2 HEAT PRESERVATION:

Microorganisms and enzymes are the major causes of undesirable changes in

foodstuffs. They both are susceptible to heat, and

appropriate heating regimes can reduce, inhibit or destroy their activity.

The degree of heat treatment required to produce a product of acceptable stability

will depend on the nature of the food, its associated

enzymes, the number and types of microorganisms, the conditions under which the
processed food is stored and other preservation

techniques used.

22.2.2.1. Blanching

Blanching is a process designed to inactivate enzymes and is usually applied

immediately prior to other thermal preservation

processes either using high temperatures (e.g. thermal processing) or low

temperatures (e.g. freezing).
It does not reduce the microbial population on the surface of foods, but it reduces
the numbers of organisms of lower heat resistance,

such as yeasts, molds and certain bacteria (e.g. Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli).
Without a blanching step, the shelf life of, frozen

vegetables would be substantially reduced as a result of chemical breakdown

during storage.

In thermal processing of fruits and vegetables, the objective of blanching is to

prevent further enzymatic breakdown of the foods if

delays occur prior to processing the foods. It is mainly used for vegetables by
heating the food with steam or hot water to 180-190 0F

and cooling in ice water, which prevents bacteria from growing.

During hot water blanching, some soluble constituents are leached out: water-
soluble flavours, vitamins (vitamin C) and sugars. With

potatoes this may be an advantage as leaching out of sugars makes the potatoes
less prone to turning brown.

Blanching is a delicate processing step. Time, temperature and the other conditions
must be carefully monitored. Sodium bicarbonate

is added to the blanching water when okra, green peas and some other green
vegetables are blanched. The chemical raises the pH of

the blanching water and prevents the fresh green colour of chlorophyll being
changed into pheophytin which is unattractive brownishgreen.

If products are over-blanched (boiled for too long) they will stick together on the
drying trays and they are likely to have a poor flavour.

Green beans, carrots, okra, turnip and cabbage should always be blanched. The
producer can choose whether or not potatoes need

blanching. Blanching is not needed for onions, leeks, tomatoes and sweet peppers.
Tomatoes are dipped into hot water for one minute
when they need to be peeled but this is not blanching.

As a rule fruit is not blanched.

Benefits of Blanching:

It helps clean the material and reduce the amount of micro-organisms present on
the surface; It preserves the natural colour in the dried products;

It shortens the soaking and/or cooking time during reconstitution.Destroys

enzymes in the food

22.2.2.2 Pasteurization

This is a heating regime (generally below 105°C) that primarily aims to achieve
commercial sterility by virtue of additional factors that contribute towards
preserving the food. The actual degree of heat process required for an effective
pasteurization will vary depending on the nature of the food and the types

and numbers of microorganisms present. Milk is the most widely consumed

pasteurized food, and the process was first introduced commercially in the UK
during the 1930s, when a treatment of 63°C for 30 min was used. Modern milk
pasteurization uses an equivalent process of 72°C for 15 s.

Pasteurization is used extensively in the production of many different types of

food, including fruit products, pickled vegetables, jams and chilled ready meals.
Food may be pasteurized in a sealed container (analogous to a canned food) or in a
continuous process (analogous to an aseptic filling operation). It is important to
note that pasteurized foods are not sterile and will usually rely on other

preservative mechanisms to ensure their extended stability for the desired length of
time. Once the food product is exposed to temperatures of 60-70°C, microbial
growth stops, and enzyme inactivation starts. As the temperature is increased (80 -
90°C), the vegetative forms of microorganisms are destroyed and the rate of
enzyme inactivation increases. Heat processing of acid products, such as fruits and
fruit juices, is usually done at higher temperatures (100°C), for short times (10-15
seconds).
Heat processing requirements - dependent on product acidity Acidity class

pH value

Food item

Heat and processing requirements

Low acid 6.0 Peas, carrots, beets, potatoes, asparagus, poultry, meat, sea foods,
milk etc.

High temperature processing 116-121°C (240-250°F) 5.0 Tomato soup Medium

acid

4.5 Tomatoes, pears, apricots, peaches Boiling water processing 100°C (212°F)

Acid 3.7 Jams, sauces, fruits, Sauerkraut, apple, Temperature of 93-100o C, (200-
212o F) High acid 3.0 Pickles

Source: Desrosier and Desrosier (1977)

22.2.2.3. Canning

Canning gained popularity after the Civil War. English immigrant, William
Underwood, introduced canning to America. John L. Mason invented his famous
canning jar in 1858. It revolutionized the way people all over the world ate. United
States consume more than 200million cans of food and drink each day!

Can retorting or processing is a term that is still widely used in the food industry to
describe a wide range of thermal processes where the food is heated within the
pack to achieve a commercially sterile packaged food. The heating takes place in
retorts that are basically batch-type or continuous hot water and/or steam-heated
pressure cookers.

Different types of canning:

Boiling water canning

Pressure canning

Pickling

Jams & Jellies

Safe canning is determined by:

Processing temperature

Processing time

Sealed lid

Acid level

Container & size

Preparation method

Consistency of food

Altitude

The principle of food canning is that no microbial growth occurs in the food under
normal storage conditions at ambient temperature until the package is opened
(Department of Health, 1994). Once the package is opened, the effects of canning
will be lost, the food will need to be regarded as perishable and its shelf life will
depend on the nature of the food itself.

The most heat-resistant pathogen that might survive the canning process of low-
acid foods is C. botulinum. This bacterium can form heat-resistant spores under
adverse conditions, that germinate in the absence of oxygen and produce a highly
potent toxin, causing a lethal condition known as botulism which can cause death
within seven days.

A metal can is the ideal package from a processor’s view because, relative to other
packaging media, it offers the possibility of high production speeds, as well as
good pack size flexibility, and the high compression strength of cans enables them
to withstand physical abuse during processing and distribution.
There is evidence that cans do not create a hermetic (gas-tight) seal while they are
hot, because of the expansion of the metal in the double seams. Good practice in
canneries avoids manual handling of hot and wet cans to reduce the risk of post-
process introduction of microbial contaminants into the container.

4.1 Preservation of foods

After storage of a preserved food for a certain period, one or more of its quality
attributes may reach an undesirable state. Quality is an illusive, ever-changing
concept. In general, it is defined as the degree of fitness for use or the condition
indicated by the satisfaction level of consumers. When food has deteriorated to
such an extent that it is considered unsuitable for consumption, it is said to have
reached the end of its shelf life. The product quality attributes can be quite varied,
such as appearance, sensory, or microbial characteristics. Loss of quality is highly
dependent on types of food and composition, formulation (for manufactured
foods), packaging, and storage conditions. Quality loss can be minimized at any
stage of food harvesting, processing, distribution, and storage.

The product quality can be defined using many factors, including appearance,
yield, eating characteristics, and microbial characteristics, but ultimately the final
use must provide a pleasurable experience for the consumer.

Quality loss can be minimized at any stage and thus quality depends on the overall
control of the processing chain. The major quality loss

4.2 Causes of Deterioration

Mechanical, physical, chemical, and microbial effects are the leading causes of
food deterioration and spoilage. Damage can start atthe initial point by
mishandling of foods during harvesting, processing, and distribution; this may lead
to ultimate reduction of shelf life.

Other examples of deterioration can be listed as follows:

(i) bruising of fruits and vegetables during harvesting and postharvest handing,
leading to the developmentof rot,

(ii) tuberous and leafy vegetables lose water when kept in atmospheres with low
humidity and, subsequently, wilt, and

(iii) dried foods kept in high humidity may pick up moisture and become soggy.
The four sources of microbial contaminants are soil, water, air, and animals
(insects, rodents, and humans)

: Organisms that spoil food During storage and distribution, foods are exposed to a
wide range of environmental conditions. Environmental factors such as pressure,
temperature, humidity, oxygen, and light can trigger several reactions that may
lead to food degradation. Mechanical damage (e.g., bruises and wounds) is
conducive to spoilage, and it frequently causes further chemical and microbial
deterioration.

Peels, skins, and shells constitute natural protection against this kind of spoilage.
Shriveling occurs due to the loss of water from harvested fruits and vegetables.
Each microorganism has

(i) an optimum temperature at which it grows best,

(ii) a minimum temperature below which growth no longer takes place,

(iii) a maximum temperature above which all development is suppressed.

Bacteria that grow particularly well at low temperatures are called psychrophilic
(cryophilic) or low -temperature organisms. Bacteria with an optimum temperature
of 20°C–45°C are mesophilic, and those with an optimum temperature above 45°C
are thermophilic.

Microbial growth in foods results in food spoilage with the development of

undesirable sensory characteristics, and in certain cases the food may become
unsafe for consumption. Microorganisms have the ability to multiply at high rates
when favorable conditions are present. Prior to harvest, fruits and vegetables
generally have good defense mechanisms against microbial attack; however, after
separation from the plant, they can easily succumb to microbial proliferation.

The presence of unsaturated fatty acids in foods is a prime reason for the
development of rancidity during storage as long as oxygen is available. While
development of off-flavors is markedly noticeable in rancid foods, the generation
of free radicals during the autocatalytic process leads to other undesirable
reactions, for example, loss of vitamins, alteration of color, and degradation of

proteins. The presence of oxygen in the immediate vicinity of food leads to

increased rates of oxidation. Similarly, water plays an important role; lipid
oxidation occurs at high rates at very low water activities. Some chemical reactions
are induced by light, such as loss of vitamins and browning of meats.
Nonenzymatic browning is a major cause of quality change and degradation of the
nutritional content of many foods. This type of browning reaction occurs due to the
interaction between reducing sugars and amino acids,

resulting in the loss of protein solubility, darkening of lightly colored dried

products, and development of bitter flavors.

Environmental factors such as temperature, water activity, and pH have an

influence on nonenzymatic browning.

Principles of food preservation

Based on the mode of action, the major food preservation techniques can be
categorized as

(1) Slowing down or inhibiting chemical deterioration and microbial growth,

(2) Directly inactivating bacteria, yeasts, molds, or enzymes, and

(3) Avoiding recontamination before and after processing.

A good method of food preservation is one that slows down or prevents altogether
the action of the agents of spoilage. Also, during the process of food preservation,
the food should not be damaged. In order to achieve this, certain basic methods
were applied on different types of foods. For example in earlier days, in very cold
weather condition, ice was used to preserve foods. Thus, very low temperature
became an efficient method for preventing food spoilage.

The principles of food preservation are:

Removal of micro-organisms or inactivating them: This is done by removing air,

water (moisture), lowering or increasing temperature, increasing the concentration
of salt or sugar or acid in foods. If you want to preserve green leafy vegetables,
you have to remove the water from the leaves so that micro organisms cannot
survive. You do this by drying the green leaves till all the moisture evaporates.

Inactivating enzymes: Enzymes found in foods can be inactivated by changing

their conditions such as temperature and moisture, when you preserve peas, one of
the methods of preservations is to put them for a few minutes in boiling water. This
method also known as blanching inactivates enzymes and thus, helps in preserving
the food. Removal of insects, worms and rats: By storing foods in dry, air tight
containers the insects, worms or rats are prevented from

destroying it.

While the currently used preservation procedures continue in one or more of these
three ways, there have recently been great efforts to improve the quality of food
products principally to meet the requirements of consumers through the avoidance
of extreme use of any single technique. Preservation starts when the harvested
foods are separated from the medium of immediate growth (plant, soil, or

water) or meat from the animal after slaughter, or milk from normal secretion of
mammalian glands. Postharvest technology is concerned with handling,
preservation, and storage of harvested foods, and maintaining its original integrity,
freshness, and quality.

The methods of preservation depend on the origin of foods particularly whether

they are of plant or animal origin. Postharvest handling of foods of plant origin
includes efficient control of environmental atmosphere, such as humidity, gas
composition, and temperature, and implementing an adequate packing, storage, and
transport system. Physical treatments usually used are curing, pre-cooling,

temperature treatments, cleaning, and waxing, whereas chemical treatments are

disinfection, fumigation, and dipping. Chemical disinfectants vary in their ability
to kill microorganisms. Several chemicals are utilized, such as chlorine, chlorine
dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, peroxyacetic acid, bromine, iodine, trisodium
phosphate, and quaternary ammonium compounds. Although fumigants

are not strictly preservatives, they are used for insect control. Methyl bromide is
one of the fumigants used, but it has the potential to damage atmospheric ozone
and is being phased out. There is a need for development of new environmentally
safe methods of fumigation.

Inhibition

The methods based on inhibition include those that rely on control of the
environment (e.g., temperature control), those that result from particular methods
of processing (e.g., micro structural control), and those that depend on the intrinsic
properties built into particular foods (e.g., control by the adjustment of water
activity or pH value. The danger zone for microbial growth is considered to be

between 5°C and 60°C; thus chilling and storing at a temperature below 5°C is one
of the most popular methods of food preservation.

Use of Chemicals: The use of chemicals in foods is a well-known method of food

preservation. Wide varieties of chemicals or additives

are used in food preservations to control pH, as antimicrobes and antioxidants, and
to provide food functionality as well as preservation action. Some additives are
entirely synthetic (not found in nature), such as phenolic antioxidant tertiary
butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), and others are extracted from natural sources, such as
vitamin E. Irrespective of origin, food additives must accomplish some

desired function in the food to which they are added, and they must be safe to
consume under the intended conditions of use. Many legally permitted
preservatives in foods are organic acids and esters, including sulfites, nitrites,
acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, sodium diacetate,
sodium benzoate, methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, and sodium
propionate.

When a weak acid is dissolved in water, equilibrium is established between un

dissociated acid molecules and charged anions, the proportion of un dissociated
acid increasing with decreasing pH. There are several limitations to the value of
organic acids as microbial inhibitors in foods:

They are usually ineffective when initial levels of microorganisms are high.

Many microorganisms use organic acids as metabolizable carbon sources.

There is inherent variability in resistance of individual strains. The degree of

resistance may also depend on the conditions. Controls of Water and Structure:
Many physical modifications are made in ingredients or foods during preservation.
Such modifications can also improve the sensory, nutritional, and functional
properties of foods. Changes experienced by foods duringprocessing include glass
formation, crystallization, caking, cracking, stickiness, oxidation, gelatinization,
pore formation, and collapse. Through precise knowledge and understanding of
such modifications, one can develop safe, high-quality foods for consumption.
Water is an important constituent of all foods. The minimum water activity is the
limit below which a microorganism or group of microorganisms can no longer
reproduce. For most foods, this is in the water activity range of 0.6–0.7. Pathogenic
bacteria cannot grow below a water activity of 0.85–0.86, whereas yeast and molds
are more tolerant of a reduced water activity of 0.80, but usually no growth occurs
below a water activity of about 0.62. The critical limits of water activity may also
be shifted to higher or lower levels by other factors, such as pH, salt, antimicrobial
agents, heat treatment, and temperature to some extent. Removing water, adding
solutes, or change of solute–water interactions can reduce the water activity of a
food.Control of Atmosphere:

Packaging techniques based on altered gas compositions have a long history. The
respiratory activity of the various plant products generates a low-oxygen and high-
carbon dioxide atmosphere, which retards the ripening of fruit.
Modifiedatmosphere packaging is a preservation technique that may further
minimize the physiological and microbial decay of perishable produce by keeping
them in an atmosphere that is different from the normal composition of air. The gas
composition and method of this technique depends on the types of produce and
purposes. There are different ways of maintaining a modified atmosphere. In

modified atmosphere packaging (termed “passive atmosphere”), the gas

composition within the package is not monitored or adjusted.

In “controlled atmosphere packaging,” the altered gas composition inside the

packaging is monitored and maintained at a preset level by means of scrubbers and
the inlet of gases.

Active packaging can provide a solution by adding materials that absorb or release
a specific compound in the gas phase. Compounds that can be absorbed are carbon
dioxide, oxygen, water vapor, ethylene, or volatiles

that influence taste and aroma. Vacuum and modified-humidity packaging contain
a changed atmosphere around the product.

Although this technique was initially developed to extend the shelf life of fresh
products, it is now extended to minimally processed foods from plant and animal
sources, and also to dried foods.

4.3.2 Inactivation

Use of Heat Energy: Earlier, mostly heat was used for inactivation. Thermal
inactivation is still the most widely used process of food preservation. The
advantages of using heat for food preservation are Heat is safe and chemical-free It
provides tender cooked flavors and taste The majority of spoilage microorganisms
are heat labile

Thermally processed foods, when packed in sterile containers, have a very long
shelf life

The main disadvantages of using heat are

(i) overcooking may lead to textural disintegration and an undesirable cooked
flavor, and

(ii) nutritional deterioration results from high temperature processing. Heat

treatment processes include mainly pasteurization, sterilization, cooking, extrusion,
and frying. Recently, more electrotechnologies have been used and this will
expand further in the future.

Use of High Pressure and Ultrasound: High-quality fresh foods are very popular,
so consequently there is a demand for less extreme treatments and fewer additives.
High-pressure hydrostatic technology gained attention for its novelty and non-
thermal preservation effect. Ultrasound is sound energy with a frequency range
that covers the region from the upper limit of human hearing, which is generally
considered to be 20 kHz.

The two applications of ultrasound in foods are

(i) characterizing a food material or process, such as estimation of chemical

composition, measurements of physical properties, nondestructive testing of
quality attributes, and monitoring food processing, and

(ii) direct use in food preservation or processing. The beneficial or deteriorative

use of ultrasound depends on its chemical, mechanical, or physical effects on the
process or products.

Use of Electricity: Many different forms of electrical energy are used in food
preservation, e.g., ohmic heating, microwave heating, low electric field
stimulation, high-voltage arc discharge, and high-intensity pulsed electric field.
Ohmic heating is one of the earliest forms of electricity applied to food
pasteurization. This method relies on the heat generated in food products as a result
of electrical resistance when an electric current is passed through them. Microwave
heating has been extensively applied in everyday households and the food industry,
but the low penetration depth of microwaves into solid food causes thermal non
uniformity. Low electric field stimulation has been explored as a method of
bacterial control in meat. The plasma membranes of cells become permeable to
small molecules after being exposed to an electric field; permeation then causes
swelling and the eventual rupture of the cell membrane. The reversible or
irreversible rupture (or electroporation) of a cell wall membrane depends on factors
such as intensity of the electric field, number of pulses, and duration of pulses.
This new electro-heating could be used to develop new products with diversified

functionality.

Use of Radiation: Ionization radiation interacts with an irradiated material by

transferring energy to electrons and ionizing molecules by creating positive and
negative ions. The irradiation process involves exposing the foods, either
prepackaged or in bulk, to a predetermined level of ionization radiation. Irradiation
has wide scope in food disinfection, shelf life extension, decontamination, and

product quality improvement. Although it has high potential, there is concern on

legal aspects and safety issues, and consumer attitude toward this technology.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has long been known to be the major factor in the
antibacterial action of sunlight. It is mainly used in sterilizing air and thin liquid
films due to its low penetration depth. Pulsed light is a sterilization method in

applications where light can access all the important volume and surfaces.
Examples include packaging materials, surfaces, transmissive materials (such as
air, water, and many solutions), and many pharmaceuticals or medical products.
The white light pulse is generated by electrically ionizing a xenon gas-filled lamp
for a few hundred millionths of a second with a high-power, high-voltage

pulse. In many cases, it would be very difficult to make a clear distinction between
inhibition and inactivation.

Use of Magnetic Field: Magnetism is a phenomenon by which materials exert an

attractive or repulsive force on other materials. The origin of magnetism lies in the
orbital and spin motions of electrons and how the electrons interact with each
other. Magnetic fields have potential in pasteurization, sterilization, and enhancing
other factors beneficial to processing in food preservation.

4.3.3 Avoid Recontamination (Indirect Approach)

In addition to the direct approach, other measures such as packaging and quality
management tools need to be implemented in the preservation process to avoid
contamination or recontamination. Although these measures are not preservation
techniques, they play an important role in producing high-quality safe food. With
respect to the procedures that restrict the access of microorganisms to foods, the
employment of aseptic packaging techniques for thermally processed foods has
expanded greatly in recent years both inthe numbers of applications and in the
numbers of alternative techniques that are commonly available. From skins, leaves,
and bark, tremendous progress has been made in the development of diversified
packaging materials and equipments. Packaging performs

three main functions. The first is to control the local environmental conditions to
enhance storage life. The second is the display, i.e., preservation of the product in
an attractive manner to the potential buyer. The third function is to protect the
product during transit to the consumer. The new concept of active or life packaging
materials allows one- way transfer of gases away from the product or the

absorption of gases detrimental to the product, antimicrobials in packaging, release

of preservatives from controlled-release surfaces,

oxygen scavengers, carbon dioxide generators, absorbers or scavengers of odors,

absorption of selected wavelengths of light, and

there are capabilities for controlled automatic switching. Another concept of edible
or biodegradable packaging has also been evolved

for environmental reasons. Processing and packaging can be integrated to improve

efficiency.

Conclusion

The major driving forces in the development and modification of food processing
are the desire to reduce the extent of processing, i.e.,

the demand for lightly processed or fresh-like, organic, and natural foods; the
desire to maximize automation, control, and efficiency;

and the desire to minimize cost, and the need to respond to an ever-increasing strict
regulations concerning environmental impact of
various processes. The factors that should be considered before selecting a
preservation process are the desired quality of the

products, the economics of the process, and the environmental impact of the
methods. The ultimate success of the food industry lies

in the timely adoption and efficient implementation of the emerging new

technologies to satisfy the present and the future demands of Sthe consumer.

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