eChapters

Permeability is a fundamental concept in food packaging, shaping the protective capabilities of packaging materials by determining the extent to which gases and vapors can move through them. This property plays a crucial role in preserving food freshness, safety, and quality by controlling the interaction between the food product and its surrounding environment. Understanding permeability is essential in designing packaging solutions tailored to the specific requirements of different food products, as improper permeability can lead to accelerated spoilage, nutrient degradation, and undesirable changes in texture and flavor. In this chapter, we explore the science of permeability in food packaging, breaking down its core principles, the behavior of different gases and vapors in various packaging materials, and the factors influencing permeability. Additionally, we examine how permeability impacts shelf life and consumer satisfaction, offering insights into selecting materials for specific food types. By understanding and manipulating permeability, food manufacturers can develop packaging that optimally balances protection and breathability, extending product shelf life and ensuring quality

Abstract

Airflow drying persists as the main dehydration operation. Indeed, the high expense of freeze-drying in term of equipment cost and energy consumption considerably restricts its use and confines its applications to high added value products (pharmaceutical products, cosmetics, etc.). However, airflow drying undergoes fundamental problems such as low operation performance, poor product quality and short reliability of the equipment. The time of drying is long; particularly at the end of the operation, which implies crucial energy consumption. The poor quality of the end product is related to thermal degradation and in particular to the compactness of texture as a result of the phenomena of shrinkage and case hardening. Another main problem common to all drying operations, including freeze-drying, is the safety of the end products. Swell-drying is defined as an operation that combines optimized hot air drying with instant controlled pressure controlled texturing. The improvement of texture, the preservation of sensory and nutritional quality, the possibility of manufacturing expanded granule powders and the reduction of drying time and energy consumption allow considering swell-drying as the most relevant drying process.

Abstract

The gut microbiota, microbe population living in the human large intestine is generally associated with various metabolic functions and it influences health and well-being. Taking into account the major role gut microbiota play in the normal functioning of the body and the different functions it accomplishes, experts nowadays consider it as an “organ”. However, it is an “acquired” organ, as babies are born sterile; that is, intestine colonisation starts right after birth and evolves as we grow. Each of us has a unique microbiota, as the fingerprints, it always fullfils the same physiological functions and they have a direct impact on our health. Gut microbiota consists of a complex of microorganism species that live in the digestive tracts of animals and is the largest reservoir of microorganisms mutual to humans. Gut microorganisms benefit the host by gleaning the energy from thefermentation of undigested carbohydrates and the subsequent absorption of short-chain fatty acids. The most important of these fatty acids are butyrates, metabolised by the colonic epithelium; propionates by the liver; and acetates by the muscle tissue. The human body carries about 100 trillion microorganisms in its intestines, a number ten times greater than the total number of human cells in the body Guarner and Malagelada, 2003). Gut microbiota, particularly the probiotics, have beneficial effects on gastroenteritis resistance, blood lipids, antitumor properties, lactose tolerance and gastrointestinal immunity. Probiotics have role in reducing the risk of rotavirus-induced diarrhea and colon cancer. The survivability of any probiotic bacteria till a longer time in the gut can be enhanced by the supplementation of prebiotics. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that benefit the host by selectively stimulating the growth or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon. There are so many prebiotics which stimulate the growth and survivability of probiotic bacteria such as fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), inulin, galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS), polydextrose (PDX), acacia gum (GUM), lactulose (LOS), lactitol etc. Many research studies have been done on above mentioned prebiotics. Mostly inulin-type fructans have been used as functional food ingredients. The prebiotics are known for reduction of disease risk such as constipation relief, suppression of diarrhea and reduction of the risks of osteoporosis, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease associated with dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, obesity and possibly type-2 diabetes. Probiotics are beneficial microbes that confer a realistic health benefit on the host, which in combination with prebiotics, (indigestible dietary fibre/carbohydrate), also confer a health benefit on the host via products resulting from anaerobic fermentation. The combination of probiotics and prebiotics in a synbiotic might improve the survival of the bacteria crossing the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, thereby enhancing their effects in the large bowel and immune-modulatory ability.

Abstract

Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi, a group of organism that is different from fruits and vegetables. They are a rich source of good quality protein having more essential amino acids and vitamins with low calories. There are about six commonly known edible mushrooms throughout the world with button mushroom (Agaricus bisporous) being the most familiar and commercially important variety. Mushroom is a highly perishable product with a shelf life limiting to a few days. Soon after harvest, it starts to undergo physiological disorders like shriveling, wilting, liquefaction, browning, textural as well as weight losses and flavour changes. The main responsible factors for the quality deterioration after harvest are respiration rate, browning, bacterial spoilage of mushrooms, temperature and relative humidity. Because of its limited shelf life under ambient conditions of temperature and humidity, the preservation of mushrooms is a matter of concern. Various techniques have been involved in the extension of shelf life of mushrooms including chemical treatments, cooling, modified and controlled atmospheric storage, radiation, drying etc. Drying is one of the most accepted and effective methods for the long term storage of mushrooms. Mushrooms preserved by drying have a pleasant flavour and are used as an important ingredient in several food formulations including salads, instant soups, meats and rice dishes. Various drying processes like sun drying, hot air drying, freeze drying, vacuum drying etc. can be used for the long term storage of mushrooms. As mushrooms are sensitive to temperature, determining the right drying method is the key for the successful and effective operation of the system. The different operating conditions involved in various methods of drying affect product quality considerably. The effect of drying methods on the process and the quality of the dried mushroom is explained in detail in this chapter.

Abstract

Vitamin C is one of the most important phytochemicals and can be found in almost all fruits and vegetables. Since it covers almost all eventualities, being water solute and prone to leaching from cells, thermally labile (one of the most labile vitamins), pH-, metal ion-, light-sensitive, as well as readily oxidizable by ascorbic acid oxidase, vitamin C is selected as the most frequently measured nutrient to evaluate the nutrients loss during thermal processing. It is generally accepted that if vitamin C is well preserved, the other nutrients are also well retained. Higher retention of vitamin C in processed products is highly desired. Herein this chapter reviews the degradation mechanism and kinetics of vitamin C of fruits and vegetables during thermal processing, such as blanching, drying, cooking and frying. It starts with an overview of the functions of vitamin C in human’s health. Then the current status for understanding of the degradation kinetics of vitamin C during thermal processing was outlined, followed by the discussion of its degradation mechanism. At last, potential strategies or alternatives to keep vitamin C are identified and discussed.

1. INTRODUCTION

Grading and packing of fruits ensure the safe transportation from the farm to the storage and consumer centre, while reducing the damage during transportation. The properly graded fruits should be packed in such a way that they do not collide with each other during transportation. Throughout the entire handling system, packaging can be both an aid and hindrance to obtaining maximum storage life and quality. Before the fruit is packed in a suitable container/package it is graded according to the standard grades accepted in the market. Packaging is one of the important components after grading during the handling of fruits. Packaging is meant to protect the commodity by immobilizing and cushioning it, but temperature management can be made more difficult if packing material block ventilation holes. Packing material can act as vapour barriers and helps in maintaining higher relative humidity within the package. Packaging material such as trays, cups, wraps, liners and pads may be added to help immobilize the produce. A wide variety of containers such as wooden boxes, plastic crates, corrugated fiberboard boxes are important package used in the transportation and distribution of fruits in most of the developing countries.

5.1 Technology readiness levels- Introduction
Technology readiness levels (TRLs) is measurement of the maturity level of a particular technology. These are based on a scale from 1 to 9, with 9 being the most mature technology. It is a map that shows whether a given technology is in a conceptual state or can be used in real-world applications and ensures innovations are thoroughly tested before being applied on a large scale. The TRL scale uses a set of questions designed to measure progress of a technology toward maturity. They help in reducing risks and improving efficiency. TRLs were initially designed in the 1970s for use by NASA to assess how prepared a technology was for space missions. Technology for space travel is always extremely sophisticated and with a high degree of risk. NASA required a system to assess systematically whether or not a new technology was ready to implement. By breaking down development into different levels, NASA was able to provide informed decisions on which innovations were ready to incorporate (figure 12). In due course, TRL proved to be so effective that other industries began to use it. Other entities like the European Space Agency (ESA), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), BIRAC, DRDO and many other agencies have taken , to using TRL to guide R&D strategies. TRL helps in simplifying development, decreasing risks, and maximizing resource utilization.

Ornamental Industry

Floriculture as a multi-billion dollar industry has been undergoing unique revolution in terms of production and marketing of high value ornamentals such as cut flowers, loose flowers, potted and foliage plants there by emerged as fully export oriented activity. Owing to the steady increase in demand of flowers, floriculture has become one of the important commercial businesses in horticulture. Presently, floriculture industry in India has been growing with compound annual growth rate of 25 percent over the past decade (Muthukumaran, 2009). It has been found that commercial floriculture has higher potential per unit area than most of the field crops and therefore, it is a lucrative business. Indian floriculture industry has been shifting from traditional flowers to cut flowers for export purposes.Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Tamilnadu, Rajasthan, West Bengal have emerged as major floriculture production areas. The export of floricultural products from India has been on an increase in the past five years due to high demand for floriculture products in importing countries. The estimated total area under floriculture in India is 2,82,000 ha. Tamil Nadu stands first followed by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Delhi and Haryana. Approximately 16,57,000 metric tonnes of loose flowers and over 5,20,000 metric tonnes cut flowers are produced in India during 2015-16. Total export of floriculture products is 22,518 MT with value of 479 crores (APEDA, 2015). Major importers of ornamental products from India are USA, Germany, UK, Netherland, and UAE.

Food Business Regulatory System in India

In India Food Businesses are regulated by only One authority i.e. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). This comes under the control of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Govt. of India.

FSSAI – Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

The FSSAI or Food Safety and Standards Authority of India was incorporated under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) of 2006. It consolidated various acts & orders that were previously applicable and used to handle food related issues in different Ministries and Departments. The basic objective of formulating FSSAI has been to lay down science-based standards for items of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, sale, distribution, and import to ensure the availability of adulteration-free and wholesome food for human consumption.

13.1. Introduction

Any written, printed, or graphic matter that is present on the label and serves the purpose of promoting the sale of any product is known as food label (WHO). It is believed in general that food packaging and proper labelling plays an important role in food safety as it gives information regarding allergens present, manufacturing site, expiry date, nutritional information etc.

Consumption of unhealthy diet leads to many non-communicable diseases. Therefore, it is the responsibilities of food manufacturers and regulating bodies such as FSSAI and BIS to work hand in hand to provide safe and healthy food to the consumers. Labelling is an important tool useful to disseminate nutritional information to the consumers. Labelling promotes healthy eating among consumers and gives them an option at the time of purchase to choose healthy food. Information in labelling the enables consumers to choose appropriate food according to their diets and lifestyle (Grunert and Wills, 2007). In addition, the information related to nutritional content of the food must be present in such a way that it well understood by every consumer (Wills et al., 2009).

Commercial ice cream represents a highly diversified category influenced by formulation, processing technology, regulatory standards, consumer preferences, cost structures, and market positioning. This chapter explains the meaning and characteristics of commercial ice cream, with particular attention to the Indian regulatory and market context. It examines major commercial product types, their compositions, ingredient functions, and differences from artisanal products. The chapter also discusses contemporary market trends and changing consumer expectations, including premiumization and alternative formulations. Quality challenges such as ice crystal growth, sandiness, shrinkage, weak body, coating defects, and cold-chain failures are considered, providing readers with a practical understanding of commercial ice cream production and positioning.

Accurate mix calculation is essential for achieving the desired composition, quality, cost, and regulatory compliance of ice cream. This chapter introduces methods used to calculate formulations based on fat, milk solids-not-fat, sugar, total solids, and other components. It explains the Pearson’s Square method, serum-point calculations, simple mix calculations, and least-cost formulation approaches. The chapter demonstrates how mathematical formulation can translate ingredient specifications into a practical manufacturing recipe. Proper calculation helps maintain consistency between batches while controlling ingredient costs and product characteristics. The chapter therefore provides a practical foundation for students, technologists, and manufacturers involved in formulation development, production planning, cost optimization, and quality management.

Introduction

Since ancient times, addition of chemicals to food and food products has been done in order to to accomplish specific functions. Spices, smoke, vinegar, and alcohol were utilised to preserve foods more than 10,000 years ago. Usage of additives in food increased dramatically in the early 1900s, in tandem with advances in food chemistry and preservation. New, tasty, convenient, and healthy meals continue to be in high demand. As a result, by the early 1960s, over 2500 different types of additives were identified and utilized by developing countries in their diets. Basic foods are additive free, but as we increase the level of processing for conversion into an array of products, variety of additives are incorporated to increase the shelf life; to retain the nutritional value as well as to achieve higher standard of sensorial characteristics.

1. Introduction

Thermodynamics is science of energy and may be defined as “The branch of science which deals with the Interoction between the heat and work is referred as Thermodynamics

’Thermo’ means heat and ’dynamics’ means motion. It deals with energy interaction when work is converted into heat energy or vice versa. Precisely, thermodynamics may be defined as a science which deals with energy transformation from one form to another and dealing with relationship among the properties ofthe system. In power plants, internal combustion engines, boilers, nozzles, diffusers etc. are the example where heat is converted into work. In compressor, turbine, cooling of engines by water, application of brakes in a vehicle etc. are the examples where work is converted into heat.

Introduction

Cocoa beans are extracted from the pod of a tree crop Theobroma cacao. It is mainly cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries. In terms of world production, Ivory Coast and Ghana contribute about 65 percent of world production. Cocoa beans are the main ingredient in chocolate. (Teye, E et al 2014). One of the earliest examples of chocolate consumption comes from the Mayans. The Maya drink was prepared with cocoa and water and often included cinnamon and black pepper. It was also known as the “Food of the Gods” and offered to Emperor Moctezuma II by the Aztecs, (Verna, R. 2013). Christopher Columbus was the first European to encounter cocoa in 1502.

1. Introduction

Milk is a source of abundant nutrition has been a vital part of human civilization since prehistoric times. However, because of its perishable nature, it requires immediate processing to improve the shelf life and safe consumption .With the advancement of processing techniques in dairy and food processing, there is a widespread option being utilized to improve the milk shelf life byeither thermal technologies (pasteurization, sterilization, and ultra-high temperature) or nonthermal technologies (high pressure processing, high pressure homogenization, pulse electric field and ultra sonication). Still, pasteurization and sterilization are the two foremost process is used for milk industries. Pasteurization is the thermal inactivation of microorganisms at temperatures below100°C that enhance the safety and quality of milk and milk products and extends the shelf life to an extent. 

SYNOPSIS

Animal source foods (ASF) include any food item that comes from an animal source such as meat, milk, fish, eggs, cheese and yogurt. Many individuals do not consume ASF or consume little ASF by either personal choice or necessity as ASF may not be accessible or available to these people. Animals are used as food either directly or indirectly by the products they produce. Animal source foods (ASF) include any food item that comes from an animal source such as meat, milk, fish, eggs, cheese and yogurt.

Abstract

Ber is an important fruit of India and South Asia. Its cultivation is gaining popular in recent years. The drupaceous fruits of ber are characterized by climacteric respiration phenomena and produce high amount of ethylene at ripening. It is very high in ascorbic acid content. Maturity and ripening is still judged by colour changes, as reliable maturity indices for particular cultivars are not fully established. Short shelf life is major problem in this fruit. Protocols for postharvest handling is not standardized, however, scattered information are available for postharvest behaviour and handling. Low temperature storage is beneficial and reduces respiration rates but simultaneously chilling injury is again hindrance in commercialization. Postharvest rot is major problem in storage. Therefore, focused research is needed to standardize the storage temperature and alleviation of chilling injury.

Introduction

The tenet “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” said by Hippocrates nearly 2,500 years ago, is receiving renewed interest. In particular, there has been an explosion of consumer interest in the health enhancing role of specific foods or physiologically active food components called as functional foods [1]. Clearly, all foods are functional, as they provide taste, aroma, or nutritive value. Within the last decade, however, the term functional as it applies to food has adopted a different meaning - that of providing an additional physiological benefit beyond that of meeting basic nutritional needs.

2.1 Soil and Climate

Pomegranate grows well in sandy-loam and well-drained soils having a pH of 7.5. It can also be grown on light soils. Quality and colour development in light soils is good but poor in heavy soils. It tolerates salinity up to 9.00 EC/mm and sodicity 6.78 ESP. Even it can be grown well in slightly saline soils as it is considered a saline-tolerant plant (Patil and Waghmare 1983; Rao and Khandelwal 2001; Ram Asrey et al., 2002). Accumulation of salts, in excess of 0.5% of the soil mass causes dying off of growing roots. Interestingly, application of Paclobutrazol (250 ppm) was reported to reduce salinity damage (Saeed 2005). The presence of water-soluble salts like sulphates and chlorides and ex- changeable sodium negatively affect root formation.