Table of Contents
Q.1. (a) Discuss the methods of preservation (any two)
Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or slow down food spoilage, loss of quality, edibility, or nutritional value and thus allow for longer food storage.
Various methods of food preservation are as follows: (any two)
Asepsis
The principle of asepsis works on preventing the entry of disease-causing and spoilage organisms.
Aseptic packaging
Aseptic processing
Use of high temperature
Heating extends the shelf life of food by killing microorganisms through denaturation od proteins and inactivation of enzymes
Blanching– Pretreatment usually carried out in vegetables prior to dehydration, freezing or canning to inactivate the enzymes. The vegetables are dipped in boiling water for 1-5 minutes.
Pasteurization– It is a mild heat treatment which is carried out at a temperature below 100°c followed by immediate cooling to kill the undesirable microorganisms. Important for processing milk.
Sterilization– Severe heat treatment at a temperature of 121°c which results in complete destruction of microorganisms and also alters the organoleptic and nutritive quality of food adversely.
Use of low temperature
The underlying principle of low-temperature preservation is that it decreases the rate of chemical and enzymatic reactions and controls the replication and propagation of microorganisms
Refrigeration- Doesn’t destroy microbes, but slows down their enzymatic activity and prevents their replication, thereby delaying spoilage
Freezing– preserves by converting water into ice and making it unavailable for microbial and enzymatic growth
Removal of moisture Possibly the oldest method of food preservation practised by man.
Sun-drying– Slow process limited to the hot and dry climate and is suitable for a few fruits Dehydration- Complete removal of moisture from food under controlled conditions of temperature, humidity and air velocity in dehydrators. Drying preserves food, prolongs its shelf life, decreases its bulk, and weight as well as the transportation and packaging costs.
Concentration- Employed for liquid foods. Concentration decreases the moisture content by 20%
Use of preservatives
They are food additives which are intentionally added to inhibit, retard or arrest the growth of microorganisms and thereby preventing fermentation, acidification or other decomposition of food.
Class I preservatives– Safe for human consumption and can be added to any amount to food. Eg: sugar, salt, spices, vinegar etc.
Class II preservatives– Chemicals used within prescribed limits. Eg: benzoic acid, sulphites, nitrates etc.
Modification of pH
Microbe growth is inhibited if pH is changed from its ideal level and increased or decreased.
Adding organic acids
Fermentation
Irradiation
Works on the principle that ionizing radiations interact with food material by transferring energy to the electrons and ionizing molecules by creating a positive and negative charge. Different methods are Radurization Radicidation Radapperrtization
(b) Define Food adulteration with examples.
An adulterant is a pejorative term for a substance found within other substances such as food, fuels or chemicals even though it is not allowed for legal or other reasons.
It will not normally be present in any specification or declared contents of the substance, and may not be legally allowed. The addition of adulterants is called adulteration. The most common reason for adulteration is the use by manufacturers of undeclared materials that are cheaper than the correct and declared ones. The adulterants may be harmful, or reduce the potency of the product, or they may be harmless.
Various food adulterants added to food are
- Butter and Cream: Anatta is added to give a yellow tinge to butter. A byproduct of beef fat called oleomargarine is added in large quantities to butter. The cream is adulterated with gelatin and formaldehyde is added to increase the shelf life. Vanaspati is added to pure ghee and butter.
- Ice Cream: Washing powder is regularly added to add volume to ice cream.
- Milk, Paneer, Khoya: Urea, Starch and washing powder is added.
- Turmeric, Coriander powder, Red Chilies: Tumeric is mixed with metanil yellow, coloured chalk powder, aniline dyes; the wood powder is added to both turmeric and coriander, while red chillies is mixed with Red colour dye, Sudan Red III colour and brick dust.
- Mustard: Argemone seeds are regularly added.
- Spice Powder: Barn is added along with synthetic colours.
- Cinnamon Bark: Cassia bark is added.
- Cumin seeds: Grass seeds coloured with charcoal is mixed.
- Pulses: Moong, Chana etc: Lead Chromate is added on a regular basis. Kesari dal is added to Besan and yellow dal.
- Tea: Iron filings, colored tea leaves, used.
- Coffee: Chicory is mixed with the powder.
- Wheat Flour: Chalk powder, barn dust and sand is added.
- Confectionary: Colours that have a harmful effect on the body are added to confectionary items that children consume on a regular basis and they include copper, Prussian blue, arsenic compounds, chrome yellow etc.
- Vegetables: Copper salts are added to color the vegetables with green.
- Vegetable Oils: Castor oil, Mineral oil, Argemone oil, Kranaja oil is added.
Q.2. Elaborate on Essential Commodity Act and Consumer Protection Act.
THE ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT
THE ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES ACT is an act of Parliament of India which was established to ensure the delivery of certain commodities or products, the supply of which if obstructed owing to hoarding or black marketing would affect the normal life of the people. This includes foodstuff, drugs, fuel (petroleum products) etc.
The ECA was enacted way back in 1955. It has since been used by the Government to regulate the production, supply and distribution of a whole host of commodities it declares essential order to make them available to consumers at fair prices.
The Act empowers the Central and state governments concurrently to control production, supply and distribution of certain commodities in view of rising prices. The measures that can be taken under the provision of the Act include, among others, licensing, distribution and imposing stock limits. The governments also have the power to fix price limits, and selling the particular commodities above the limit will attract penalties. Black marketing of essential commodities was a major problem in the past and this has now been controlled to a large extent.
THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT
THE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT, 1986 was enacted to provide simpler and quicker access to redress of consumer grievances. The Act seeks to promote and protects the interest of consumers against deficiencies and defects in goods or services. It also seeks to secure the rights of a consumer against unfair trade practices, which may be practiced by manufacturers and traders.
The set-up of the consumer forum is geared to provide relief to both parties and discourage long litigation. In a process called ‘informal adjudication’, forum officials mediate between the two parties and urge compromise.
The Act applies to all goods and services unless specifically exempted by the Central Government. It covers all the sectors whether private, public or cooperative.
This Act has provided machinery whereby consumers can file their complaints which will be heard by the consumer forums with special powers so that action can be taken against erring suppliers and the possible compensation may be awarded to consumer for the hardships he has undergone.
The consumer under this law is not required to deposit huge court fees, which earlier used to deter consumers from approaching the courts. The rigours of court procedures have been replaced with simple procedures as compared to the normal courts, which helps in quicker redressal of grievances. The provisions of the Act are compensatory in nature.
Basic rights of consumers include:
- Right to be protected against the marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property.
- Right to be informed about the quality, quantity, standard and price of goods or services so as to protect the consumer against unfair trade practices.
- Right to be assured, wherever possible, access to variety of goods and services at competitive prices.
- Right to consumer education.
Q.3. Write short notes on any two:
(a) Waste disposal
Adequate disposal of garbage and other food waste forms the basis of food sanitation. Food preparation and processing units produce large volumes of waste including trimmings and leftover portions of cooked and uncooked foods, packaging materials, wastewater from wash and rinse operations. They should be disposed in a manner that they neither act as a medium for growth of harmful microorganisms not as a source of food for insects and pests. They should not be a public health annoyance for consumers and community.
(b) Food additives
Food additives can be defined as a substance or a mixture of substances other than the basic food stuff which is present in food as a result of any aspect of production, processing, storage or packaging. Food additives are used intentionally and are expected to become a component of the food to which they are added. They prevent deterioration and thereby prolong shelf life. They enhance sensory qualities and make the food attractive and appetizing for the consumer. They also provide and improve the functional property of the food and improve or maintain the nutritional value. They also facilitate processing, packaging, transport or storage of food
(c) GMP
Good manufacturing practices is typically a group of QC and QA procedures. Components of good manufacturing practices includes:
– identifying and curbing sources of contamination
– identifying and rectifying causes of compromised quality
– ensuring safety of staff and consumers
Performing quality control checks before, during, and after manufacture – supervising and executing effective cleaning operations
(d) ISO
The International Organisation for Standardization is an international Federation of national standards body comprising of nearly 163 countries. As the world’s largest developer of voluntary International standards, it provides benefits for business,government and society. ISO standards ensure quality, ecology, safety, efficiency and effectiveness at
an economical cost. The assist in trade extend knowledge and share technological advances and good management practices.
Q.4. Discuss the new trends in food packaging.
Some new trends related to the packaging process are as follows:
- Controlled or modified atmosphere and vacuum packaging
The use of controlled atmosphere packaging, modified atmosphere packaging and vacuum packaging is increasing extensively to retain sensory characteristics of food and to prolong it’s shelf life
- Active packaging
- it is a form of smart packaging. It is being used for extending the shelf life of semi perishable foods such as cheese, beer, wine, fruit and mayonnaise. it exhibits the following properties during storage
>Binding oxygen
Release flavors >Anti microbial >Adjust temperature >Bind off odours >Absorb moisture
- Intelligent packing
- it is also a type of smart packaging. It is often referred to as a packaging which sensors and informed. It responds to the changing environment within and outside the package and communicates to the end-user about the status of the food product. it gives an indication regarding tampering time-temperature history microbial spoilage exposure to light and physical shocks of the product during handling and transportation.
- Radiofrequency identification Technology
- It is being applied to food packages for controlling the supply chain. RFID tags or barcodes give information regarding the content, weight, location and number of times the product has gone through the distribution channel. It helps manufacturers to call back food and sub-standard quality thereby ensuring the safety of the consumers.
or List mandatories of the food label.
Mandatories of food labels
Every pre-packaged and packaged food must have a label
Information given on the label should be in English or Hindi. Other languages can also be used but as a means of translation of the information already given in the first two languages.
No false, deceptive or misleading claims should be given on the label
The label should be attached or applied to the container in such a manner that it does not get detached during handling from the manufacturer to the customer
Contents of the label should be clear prominent and readily legible by the consumer under normal conditions of purchase and use
If the container is covered by a wrapper, either the wrapper should have all the contents of the label, or the contents of the label on the containers should be readily legible through the outer wrapper.
Q.5. HACCP is an essential form of Quality Assurance. Discuss.
HACCP is widely used as a system to prevent physical, biological, and chemical hazards, which can compromise the safety of food meant for human consumption. It is a system which identifies, evaluates and control hazards which are significant for food safety. It helps to enlist the potential risks associated with food production, identifies causes and assesses their effects before deploying an effective control mechanism.
Quality Assurance is the planned or systematic action necessary to provide enough confidence that a product or service will satisfy the given requirements. The quality assurance for a product would be targeted towards the following:
1. Raw material
- providing specifications to suppliers
- accepting raw materials and ingredients conforming to the specifications and ensuring the selection of correct cooking and baking equipment.
- Process
– following standardized recipes in terms of both ingredients and process
3. Finished product
– coordinating between preparation and sale
– storage
– distribution
– service of the product
– taking feedback from customers
Thus, we can infer that the principles and benefits of HACCP are an essential form of quality assurance. It facilitates systematic and logical identification analysis and control of hazards. Information on critical limits and corrective actions provided a direction for more efficient work and it ensures supply of safe food.
or Chefs dependent on microorganisms. Discuss with examples.
Breads, maida, sugar, yeast is required to make the dough & allowed it to ferment. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is responsible for leavening by carbon dioxide production
Fermented vegetable foods
We all consumed vegetable in fermented or cooked form. But, we can even consume these by making a fermented product.
Sauerkraut is a fermented fresh cabbage product. The main organism which is involved in the fermentation of this pickle is lactic acid bacteria.
Cucumber is a fermented product of fresh cucumbers, lactic acid bacteria is involved in this preparation. Fermented onion & chilly are also fermented vegetable product. The bacteria that involved are Lactobacillus Plantarum.
Fermented dairy product
A large number of dairy products are available in our markets. Different bacteria, yeast, moulds are involved in the fermentation of dairy products.
Cheeses are the by-products of lactic fermentation of milk. There are different type of cheese classifier as hard, semi hard &soft cheese. The curing of cheese is done with the help of Streptococcus & Lactobacillus. The Swiss cheese is cultured with the help of mixed culture, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus bulgaricus &Propioni bacterium shermanii which impart the characteristic eye formation.Dahi & Yogurt are common fermented dairy products. For dahi preparationLactobacillus is required. Yogurt is the preparation with the action of two organisms, Streptococcus thermophilus & , Lactobacillus bulgaricus . The ideal ratio of this two organism is 1:1 for best result.The microorganisms which are involved in the preparation of butter are Streptococcous lactis &Streptococcous cremoris which convert lactose in the milk tolactic acid. There are other organisms which involved in imparting the aromatic flavors in butter.
Other fermented food products idli, vada,dosa, dhokla etc are important.
Idli– the microorganism involved in this preparation is Leuconostoc mesenteroides which grow fast followed by Streptococcus & Pediococcus.
.Vada – It fermented over night by Leuconostoc mesenteroides.
Dosa ‐ It fermented by Lactic acid bacterial fermentation, followed by Leuconostocmesenteroides to form carbondioxide production.
Dhokla‐ Leuconostoc mesenteroides & Streptococcus are the common bacteriainvolved in fermentation.
Fermented Soya Bean products
Temp is highly popular soya bean preparation. The chief organism in this preparation is mould Rhizopus oligosporus
Soya sauce is a very popular preparation . For preparation & fermentation Aspergillussp, lactobacillus & saccharomyces sp organism are involved. In economically important fermentation products beer, wines are involved. The organisms responsible are Saccharomyces cerevisiae & Saccharomyces uvarum. Other uses of microbes in industry are Vinegar & antibiotics
Q.6. What are the 3E’s of food safety?
Food safety problems can be tackled at various levels in different ways with training in safety being organized. Training in safety can be organized under 3 distinct categories usually abbreviated as the 3E’s, namely safety education; safety engineering and enforcement of safety.
I. SAFETY EDUCATION
Safety programs and policies can only be effective if the staffs are trained to think and act safety at work for this, educating them in the following areas is necessary.
(i) Teaching safe methods, with particular emphasis on areas of potential dangers, & how these can be guarded against.
(ii) Demonstrating the use of safety equipment installed in the established and location and use of first aid material.
(iii) Inculcating in people the ability to recognize the signs of hazard around them, in colleagues and equipment e.g.– an unwell person or an unusual sound from equipment.
(iv) Teaching staff the legal implication of non-adherence to safety procedures.
SAFETY EDUCATION
- Should start during induction of the employee to the establishment.
- Is effective by the formation of safety committees in the establishment.
- Should include giving info. about the legal and financial implication of accidents.
- Should be done using audio-visual aids discussion, bulletin board, weekly safety theme.
2. SAFETY ENGINEERING
This involves the building in of safety features in the structure of the establishment in the equipment, furniture and fittings, and their proper arrangements within the spaces equipment should be selected with care to ensure safety in design that can make it possible to maintain sanitation of parts that come in contact with food.
3.ENFORCEMENT OF SAFETY
That means implementation or practice safety rules need to be enforced by rule, law or custom and practice. Also by
i. Discipline at work
ii. Close supervision of all activities in vulnerable areas and at peak hours
iii. Closing all switches for fuel supply and water taps when not in use.
iv. Immediate attention to repair of leaks and regular maintenance and servicing of equipments to ensure optimum operation
or Which is the common foodborne microorganisms? Foodborne microorganisms:
- Pathogens causing most food borne illnesses
- Norovirus
- Salmonella
- Clostridium perfringens
- Campylobacter spp.
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Pathogens causing most food borne illnesses resulting in hospitalization
- Salmonella
- Norovirus
- Camphylobacter spp
- Toxoplasma gondii
- E. coli
- Pathogens causing most food borne illnesses resulting in death
- Salmonella
- Toxoplama gondii
- Listeria monocytogenes
- Norovirus
- Campylobacter app.
Q.7. What are the causes of spoilage of canned foods and eggs?
Causes of Spoilage in Cans
1.Chemical spoilage
The chemical spoilage in most cases is due to the production of hydrogen gas produced in can because of action of acid of food on iron of can. This spoilage is termed as Hydrogen swell. It occurs due to following factors:
a) Increased storage temperature.
b) Increased acidity of food
c) Improper exhaust
d) Presence of soluble sulfur and phosphorous compounds
e) Improper timing and lacquering of can at internal surface.
2. Biological spoilage
The cause of biological spoilage is microbial activity. In heat treated cans, the growth of microorganisms occur due to:
- Leakage of can
- Under processing
3. Microbial Spoilage of Canned Foods
- Spoilage by thermophilic spore forming bacteria
This type of spoilage is caused by thermophilic anaerobe not producing hydrogen
4. Spoilage By Mesophilic Spore formers 5. Spoilage by Non-Spore Formers
Spoilage in eggs Eggs are spoilt by physical changes (cracking/ leaking shells, loss of bloom, stained shell, moisture loss)
Bacterial spoilage is most common and is exhibited as
- Green rot caused by Pseudomonas
- Red rot caused by Serratia 3.Black rot caused by Proteus
Q.8. Discuss any two foodborne diseases and also its preventive measures.
1. Salmonellosis
Causative organism: Salmonella
Incubation period: 6-72 hours
Symptoms: Diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps
Food commonly involved: Undercooked and fresh meat and poultry and eggs Prevention
a. Avoiding food contamination from sources such as infected human beings and other animals, carriers, and other contaminated food items
Destroying the bacteria with heat process
Controlling its growth by the use of low temperature
Maintaining adequate sanitation and hygiene
2. Clostridium perforin genes
Causative organism: Clostridium perfringens
Incubation period: 8-12 hours
Symptoms: Watery diarrhoea and abdominal cramps
Food commonly involved: Beef, poultry, gravies, pre-cooked food Prevention:
Adequate and fast cooling of cooked foods particularly meat and meat products
Keeping cooked food hot
Reheating leftover food
Following hygienic practices in food preparation and handling right to be heard and to be assured that consumers interests will receive due consideration at appropriate forums. Right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices.