This book has been designed as a practical guide for students and professionals interested in the processing and preservation of fruits and vegetables. It provides step-by-step procedures, scientific principles, and practical exercises related to the preparation of various fruit and vegetable products. The content is structured in a simple and systematic manner to support laboratory training, practical classes, and skill development in food processing.
The lab manual begins with an introductory overview of food preservation and processing techniques, helping readers understand the importance of value addition, shelf-life extension, and food safety. Subsequent units focus on the preparation of fruit beverages such as squash, cordial, and crush, followed by detailed procedures for making fruit preserves including jam, jelly, marmalade, preserve, and murabba.
Special emphasis is given to traditional and commercial products such as pickles, chutneys, tomato ketchup, sauces, and sugar confectionery like candy and toffee. The book also introduces students to basic dairy processing through the preparation of paneer or soft cheese. In addition, it covers important quality assessment aspects such as shelf-life evaluation and sensory evaluation techniques, which are essential for ensuring product quality and consumer acceptability.
Practical demonstrations of canning and bottling techniques for fruits and vegetables are included to provide hands-on learning experience. The book also contains field visit worksheets, enabling students to observe and document industrial food processing operations during visits to processing units.
Overall, this book serves as a useful laboratory manual and training resource for students of food science, horticulture, agriculture, home science, and allied disciplines. It aims to build practical skills in food preservation, promote value addition of agricultural produce, and encourage small-scale food processing and entrepreneurship.

Pragya Pandey, Assistant Professor, Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Community Science, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya - 224229, Uttar Pradesh, India

Unit-I: Introductory    
Unit-II: Preparation of Fruit Beverages (Covers: Squash, Cordial, and Crush)
Unit-III: Preparation of Fruit Preserves (Covers: Jam, Jelly,  Marmalade, Preserve, Murabba)  
Unit-IV: Preparation of Pickles and Chutneys (Includes: Pickle with oil, Pickle without oil, Chutney)  
Unit-V: Preparation of Tomato Ketchup and Sauces    
Unit-VI: Preparation of Sugar Confectionery (Includes: Candy, Toffee, Syrup) 
Unit-VII: Preparation of Cheese (Paneer / Soft Cheese)  
Unit-VIII: Shelf-Life Evaluation of Preserved Foods    
Unit-IX: Sensory Evaluation Techniques for Preserved Foods    
Unit-X: Demonstration of Canning and Bottling Techniques for Fruits and Vegetables     
Unit-XI: Field Visit Worksheets (To be completed during/after industrial visits)    
Appendices