eChapters

Preservation of foods including meat and aquatic foods is a creation of conditions for the food articles in such a way to stop or greatly slow down the activities of micro-organisms, chemical and enzymatic reactions and physical forces to prevent the meat and aquatic foods from spoilage while maintaining its nutritional value and sensory attributes.

Significance of Meat Preservation

1. Meat and aquatic foods are perishable food items and are very prone to spoilage and rancidity development due to high nutrients, moisture and neutral pH.
2. Once meat and aquatic foods is exposed to microbial contamination, chemical and enzymatic reactions then it will be very difficult to attain asepsis.
3. To enhance the keeping quality of meat and aquatic foods so that it will be available for further processing.
4. It protects meat and aquatic foods from shrinkage, sweeting and other physical forces.
5. To protect human health by providing the wholesome meat and aquatic foods to the consumers.
6. By this way we can minimize utilization of energy in processing of meat and aquatic foods.

Preservation of raw milk is essential to maintain its quality during storage and transportation before processing. One of the primary methods for extending its storage life is refrigeration, where milk is cooled to 2°C to 4°C immediately after milking. This significantly slows down the microbial growth and enzymatic activity. Bulk milk coolers (BMCs) are vital in achieving rapid cooling, especially in collection centres or dairy farms, where they ensure that milk remains fresh during storage and transportation. BMCs are particularly essential for regions with inadequate cold chain infrastructure, as they help maintain milk quality until it reaches processing facilities.
In addition to refrigeration, thermisation is another method used to preserve raw milk. Thermisation, a mild heat treatment, is widely used to extend the shelf life of raw milk, particularly when it needs to be transported over long distances. This process involves heating the milk to 57–68°C for 15 seconds, effectively reducing the microbial load while preserving the milk’s natural characteristics. Thermisation is typically followed by refrigerated storage, where milk is cooled to temperatures between 2° and 4°C to inhibit further microbial growth. The combination of thermisation and refrigeration ensures that milk retains its freshness and safety until it reaches processing facilities, even in regions with extended supply chains.
Raw milk also benefits from its natural inhibitors, such as lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin, and immunoglobulins, which exhibit antimicrobial properties and slow down bacterial growth. The lactoperoxidase system, for instance, can be activated by adding small amounts of hydrogen peroxide and thiocyanate to enhance milk’s preservation in the absence of refrigeration. The use of chemicals like hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for milk preservation is not permitted in India due to safety and quality concerns. However, the FAO recommends its application under strict regulatory conditions in some countries as part of the lactoperoxidase system, particularly in regions where refrigeration is unavailable.

Fermentation

The decomposition of carbohydrates by microorganisms and enzymes is known as fermentation. During fermentation process of food organic acids and alcohol etc are produced which act as preservatives and also provide fine flavor and aroma that increase the value of raw materials. Most fermented foods contain a complex mixture of carbohydrates, proteins and fats etc. Fermentation occurs when microorganisms consume susceptible organic substances as a part of their own metabolic processes. Natural fermentation is probably oldest form of food preservation.

Introduction
Preservation by using common salt, spices and vinegar is a common method for the preparation of pickles, sauce and chutneys. Salt is mostly used as a preservative in pickles in combination with acid. Sodium chloride is used in brines and curing solutions or is applied directly to the food. The quantity of salt necessary to inhibit growth or harm the cells varies with the type of microorganisms. However, the minimum concentration of salt to act as a preservative is about 12%. Salt (sodium chloride) exerts its preservative action
by performing the following functions:
? Causing high osmotic pressure resulting in plasmolysis of the microbial cells.
? Dehydrating food by tying up the moisture thus making it unavailabl for the growth of microorganisms.
? Salt lowers the water activity and thus has adverse effects on microorganisms.
? Affecting the solubility of oxygen in the food and thus inhibiting the growth of aerobic microorganisms.
? Salt ionizes to yield chlorine ions, which is harmful to microorganisms.
? Chlorine in sodium chloride is a good oxidizing agent & is, therefore, toxic to microorganisms.
 

Preservation of food (fruits and vegetables) in common salt sand vinegar is called pickling. It is one of the most ancient method of preservation of fruits and vegetables. Pickling is the result of fermentation by Lactic acid forming bacteria which are found in large number on the surface of fruits and vegetables. They can grow in acidic medium and in the presence of 8-10 percent salt solution. The growth of majority of undesirable bacteria is inhibited. Lactic acid most active at 30 °C temperature. This temperature should be maintained during the process of pickling.

Preparation of pickles

Pickles are prepared with salt, vinegar and oil or combination of these ingredients. Spices are also used for pickle preparation.

Preserves (Murabbas) are prepared from whole fruits and vegetables or their segments by addition of sugar followed by evaporation to a point where microbial spoilage cannot occur. The final soluble solids concentration is reached to about 70 per cent. The finished product can be stored with or without hermetic sealing and refrigeration.

    1.    Technical support
    2.    Financial support

1. Technical support

A. Institutes for Professional skills in dairy based enterprises:

Several institutions offer training programmes in dairy based enterprises:

I. Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Dairying (SINED)

Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Dairying (SINED) is registered under society regulation act 1860, hosted by National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal for promotion of entrepreneurship in dairying. The major activity of the society is to administer a Technology Business Incubator which provides support for technology based entrepreneurship in Dairying.

Introduction
Food preservation refers to an art or science which deals with the process of prevention of decay, deterioration or spoilage of food commodity to allow it to be stored in a safe condition for future use. All foods gradually undergo deterioration or spoilage from the time immediately they are harvested or manufactured. Some commodities spoil rapidly, while others can keep longer but for limited periods. The basic purposes of food preservation are:
1. Extension of shelf life of foods thus increasing the supply
2. Ensuring the availability of seasonal foods throughout the year
3. Adding variety to the diet
4. Saving time by reducing preparation time and energy
5. Stabilizing farm prices and prices of food
6. Improving the nutritional qualities The food spoilage can be caused due to growth and activity of micro-organisms, insects or rodents, action of enzymes, chemical reactions and physical changes that takes place during processing, drying, or freezing etc. Classification of Food Depending upon the type of spoilage and level of perishability, the foods are classified into three broad categories:

Preservation means just protect the foods against the spoilage, but scientifically it may be defined as a science which deals with the process for prevention of decay or spoilage of the food is called preservation.

In other words, just controlling the physical, chemical or microbial changes in the foods is called preservation.

Physical Changes: Colour, flavour, texture and taste etc.

Chemical Changes: Carbohydrate, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Microbial Changes: Mould, yeasts and bacteria

Concept: Reduction of seed moisture content to the acceptable levels for enhancement of storability and longevity is known as seed drying.

The moisture content of seed is negatively related to its storability. As the moisture content of seed increases, its storability decreases. Adequate drying of seed prolongs viability for reasonably long periods without cold storage. The process of drying begins with physiological maturity till storage/packaging of seeds to avoid deterioration. The seed is hygroscopic in nature therefore it adjusts its moisture content in equilibrium to the existing environment.

Seed Drying

Seed drying is the process in which an environment with low humidity is created to remove moisture from the seed up to the desired level without any damage to its viability and physical appearance. This seed is stored at low moisture content under the low relative humidity to enhance its longevity. The initiation of seed moisture content and the desired level are what dictate the amount of the drying process, and these elements are determined by the following

• Type of seed: This will consider the longevity behaviour, seed content, and seed structure (i.e., how well the species stores energy).

Objective

Vegetable seed separation requires specialized training. A little carelessness during the seed extraction process can seriously harm the plant’s viability and vigor in addition to its outward look. Inadequate extraction methods can also result in in-situ germination. The seed can be separated by the following methods.

1. Manual Method

(a) Maceration e.g., watermelon,

(b) Crushing e.g., brinjal,

(c) Scraping e.g., cucumber

(d) Separated e.g., muskmelon,

(e) Scooping e.g., pumpkins and

(f) Extraction e.g., squashes.

Objectives of Seed Grading

Minimization of heterogeneity to the lowest level and enhancement of the homogeneity to the highest level in the seed lots received by the processing unit.

Principle

Separation of seed lots based on differences in the physical properties of the seeds.

Post harvest activities include threshing/ seed extraction, drying, pre-cleaning and conditioning, cleaning, fine-cleaning or grading, seed treatment, weighing and bagging/ packaging, sealing and labelling, storing, and transportation for marketing. Except for transportation and marketing, all these activities collectively known as seed processing. However, for most of the crop, threshing or seed extraction, basic cleaning even drying is done in the farm itself and in the processing unit, the threshed seed is received.

The objective of the seed processing is to prepare the harvested seed in such a way that seed of highest purity and quality would be available for marketing, also for planting. The cleaning and the grading are the foremost activity of the seed processing. The seed, which is received in the processing unit, contains many undesirable particles, which as such cannot be used for marketing, hence cleaning and grading become necessary.

The fruits and vegetables are highly perishable in nature. The losses in harvested fruits and vegetables start immediately after harvesting and the resulting spoilage caused by biochemical changes (enzymatic) and activity of microorganisms such as bacteria, moulds and yeast. The losses caused by the microorganism in fruits and vegetables products can be prevented by controlling or destroying these organisms in order to preserve fruits and vegetables by processing and preservation means. The processing and preservation is one of the most important activities among various types of activities of Horticultural Science.

Processing: The processing can be defined as an activity, which is performed to maintain or improve the quality or to change the form or characteristics of the product. Processing operations are undertaken to add value to horticultural produce after their production. The main purpose of processing is to minimize the qualitative and quantitative deterioration of produce after harvest.

Preservation: Preservation can be defined as the science which deals with the methods of prevention of decay or spoilage of produce and allow it to be stored in a fit condition for future use.

Fruits and vegetables can be preserved for short and long term. For short term preservation can be achieved by proper handling of produce and low temperature storage. Long term preservation can be achieved by canning, drying and dehydration, fermentation and by using chemical preservatives.

Concept: Seed blending is the process of merging two or more types of the same species, for as Kentucky bluegrass cultivars Merion, Baron, and Park. Contrarily, seed mixing refers to the blending of two or more species, however every species may have more than one variation represented, such as Jamestown and Cascade chewing fescue combined with Merion and Fylking Kentucky bluegrass. Seed is typically distributed in blends, primarily Kentucky bluegrass blends, for sod growing purposes. For home lawns, parks, and other utility areas where upkeep levels would not be adequate to maintain pure Kentucky bluegrass turf, mixes of different grasses are typically employed. Naturally, when it comes to pure seed quality, no blend of grass seeds is superior to the individual ingredients. Every time a new blend needs to be made; extreme caution must be taken to ensure that the mixing equipment can be completely cleaned to prevent any contamination from unwanted species—bent grasses are perhaps the most challenging to deal with.

Objective of Seed Storage

The primary goal of seed programs, which include storage, is to maintain the high standards of the seed from harvest until the crop is sown in the following or future seasons. Additionally, seeds are kept in storage for longer periods of time for a variety of reasons, including protection against crop failures during emergencies or natural disasters, maintaining active genetic stocks for breeding, germplasm preservation for long-term use, stock preservation for the domestic and international seed trade in response to market demands, and parental line seed preservation for the transnational seed industry during one or more growing seasons. The seeds of most major agricultural species can be classified as either orthodox or desiccation tolerant. A drop in storage temperature and relative humidity, commonly referred to as seed moisture content, shortens their shelf life. Seeds deteriorate even in dry storage because of alterations caused by pests and pathogens as well as physiological deterioration. This is accurate, even though the amount of time seeds takes to germinate and stay viable varies according to the makeup of the different plant species. A good seed program handles the seed with care, regulates the store’s temperature and relative humidity (or seed moisture in the case of hermetically sealed containers), and adheres to good sanitation practices to preserve the high planting value of the seed in terms of purity, germination, vigour, and seed health.

“Standards are to Industry as Culture is to Society” said Shri C. Rajagopalachari, the first Governor General of India. Shri C. Rajagopalachari was inaugurating a conference on Standardization and Quality Control in February 1948. The great statesman has beautifully summed up the importance of standardization.

The basic principles on which procedures and practices are based had their origin in the United Kingdom, where the first national standardization movement started as early as 1901. Thereafter, procedures have been continuously developed, modified and improved till considerable similarity is achieved.

Abstract

Inspired by the human eye to brain assessment process, computer vision technology has demonstrated its potential for monitoring and controlling of several operations in food industry. Computer vision technology is, therefore, applied extensively in food drying process for monitoring nutritional value and sensorial characteristics because of its promising characteristics such as reliable objectivity and repeatability. In this chapter, after providing a brief explanation of the computer vision technology and its prerequisites and principles, an example is given to elucidate how this technology is used for monitoring the visual attributes of foodstuffs during drying process. Overall, monitoring the visual properties of food products like size, shape, color, and texture in off-line mode are the most popular issues to fascinate researchers’ attention to apply the computer vision technology in food drying. Nevertheless, industrial applications of the computer vision technology for real-time monitoring and control of food drying facilities as final goals of its introduction in food drying industry seem to be limited. For future studies, it is suggested to apply this unique technology along with advanced soft computing methodologies for in-line monitoring and control of food drying process in order to achieve high quality dried products. Finally, outlooks and potential employment of this technology in food drying domain are discussed as well.

Introduction

Food is the most vital prerequisite for sustenance of human life and provides adequate nutrients for the metabolism. Recently several hypothesis supports that, beyond meeting nutritional needs, they play beneficial roles in improving health, and minimize the risk of illnesses (Roberfroid, 2000a). In this way, a novel term “functional food” was introduced and plays an outstanding role in improving the overall conditions of the human body (e.g. pre- and probiotics), lessening the threat of some ailments (e.g. cholesterol-lowering products), and also as therapeutics for several diseases (Roberfroid, 2000a, Roberfroid, 2000b, Mollet and Rowland, 2002).

Recently throughout the world, an extensive array of functional foods were developed which includes prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, foods supplemented with anthocyanins, phytosterols, isoflavones, antioxidants, and fat, sugar and salt-reduced foods. Amongst them, probiotic functional food has exerted beneficial effects on the health and is comprised of both probiotic dairy foods and probiotic non-dairy foods. The demand for dairy probiotic foods are increasing as it attributes to the beneficial health effects on the host by improving the survival of gastrointestinal microflora, production of bioactive compounds and prevention of lactose intolerance. Consequently, production of these foods is a significant research importance for both food manufacturing units and research institutes.

Probiotics are the important ingredients for foods with a “healthy” image. It could be combined with other beneficial ingredients or simply used to supplement the natural functional qualities of whole foods. The amalgamation of probiotic bacteria with nutrient rich foods, like dairy products, will have the additional value of improving consumer nutrition.

There are potential beneficial medicinal uses of probiotics for which research is limited and only preliminary results are available. Recent research on the molecular biology and genomics of Lactobacillus has focused on the interaction with the immune system, anti-cancer potential, and potential as a biotherapeutic agent in case of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, traveller‘s diarrhoea, pediatric diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel diseases and irritable bowel syndrome (Ljungh et al., 2009). Studies of some probiotics tested in vitro on human epithelial cell lines have shown that they could block the adhesion of shiga toxin producing E. coli (Sherman et al., 2005). These are claimed to be health promoting and/ or disease preventing beyond the basic function of supplying nutrients. Probiotic foods are emerging as an important category of food supplements. Earlier workers have shown the inhibition of diarrhea caused by E.coli using probiotic lactic acid bacteria and yeast (Yan and Polk, 2006). Ratledge et al. (2002) have studied the biochemistry and molecular biology of lipid accumulation in oleaginous microorganisms.

Abstract

Nutraceuticals have potential to be used as food supplement, preventive medicine and the growing evidence points in the direction that certain foods fight and or prevent against diseases. The development of next generation nutraceutical “super foods” or products consist of value-addition in the traditional natural diets.The word Nutraceuticals combine ‘nutrition’ and ‘pharmaceuticals’ to mean that they can be used as preventive drugs or food supplements. The increase in knowledge about the immune response unveils the fact that besides immunological disorders and infections the outcome of many other diseases like diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. can be modified by modulating Immune response. Hence, the efficient immunomodulators can be employed to prevent or cure the diseases as immunotherapeutic agents. The most acceptable alternative therapeutic agents are the edible sources. Hence the researchers shifted towards formation of nutraceuticals or foods acting as medicine, a concept which was given by Hippocrates long back.

Introduction

The term probiotic is derived from Greek and means ‘for life’ as opposed to antibiotics which means ‘against life’. The history of probiotics began with the consumption of fermented foods which was first observed in ancient Greeks and Romans [1]. The term, probiotic, as is used today was first used by Parker in 1974. Parker defined ‘probiotic’ as substances and organisms which contribute to intestinal microbial balance. In 1989, the term was modified further by Fuller. Thus, probiotic is a live microbial supplement which affects the host’s health positively by improving its intestinal microbial balance. This definition was broadened to include mono or mixed culture of live microorganisms which benefits animals or man by improving the properties of the indigenous microflora [2]. Some authors have interpreted probiotics as microbial cell preparations or components of microbial cells that have a beneficial effect on the health and well-being of the host.

Introduction

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food- the age-old quote by Hippocrates, is certainly the tenet of today. Microbial cultures have been used for millenniums in food and alcoholic fermentations and in the past century have undergone scientific scrutiny for their ability to prevent and cure a variety of diseases. Later it became popular in improving human and farm animal nutritive values and recently in aquaculture also. The growing interest in the understanding the role of food in human health has moved from its primary role as a source of energy to the subtle action of biologically active food components on human health. Henceforth functional foods or nutraceuticals are of great demand in present time. The growing scientific evidence suggests that the food supplements containing beneficial bacteria can provide an array of benefits to the host. Now a day’s probiotic fermented foods are in great demand due to the awareness of beneficial aspects of probiotics among people. Several industries focused on the improvement of conventional fermented foods scientifically in order to fetch good market for their products. Particularly, animal feed companies and researchers have been looking for alternative products and strategies that can help to maintain animal gut health in order to prevent or reduce the prevalence of pathogens in the food chain. After understanding the mechanism and beneficial aspects of probiotics in detail at molecular level in earlier chapters, now it is relevant to discuss the applied part of probiotics. In this chapter, commercial importance of probiotics and probiotics derived products at industrial level are emphasized.

Introduction

During the first 50 years of the 20th century, scientific focus was on the identification of essential elements and their role in the prevention of various dietary deficiency diseases. This emphasis on nutrient deficiencies or “undernutrition” shifted dramatically, however, during the 1970s when diseases linked to excess and “overnutrition” became a major public health concern. “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”, the age old quote by Hippocrates is the ideology of today’s health conscious population. Eli Metchnikoff, the Russian Nobel prize winner was the first one to recognize the beneficial role of selected bacteria on gastrointestinal tract of humans. Subsequently the “Theory of Longevity” by Metchnikoff was correlated with prolonged youth and a healthy old age, observed largely in Balkan peasants of those times, who used cultured milks in their diet (Kaufmann, 2008). Since then, the quest continues for understanding the role of wide range of food components and nutrients in enhancing health or preventing chronic diseases. The research in this field has resulted in a plethora of new labels for pro-, pre- and synbiotics.

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.

In 1907, the Russian Nobel laureate, Dr. Elie Metchnikoff, fascinated by the unusual longevity of Bulgarian farmers, consuming beneficial lactic acid bacteria by way of traditional fermented milk products, suggested that regular intake of friendly microbes could benefit human health. Although Dr. Metchnikoff ’s recommended bacteria for the purpose proved largely ineffective, the theory was carried forward with moderate success until the war on bacteria began because of the advent of sulfa drugs and antibiotics (Scott, 2012). However soon after their rampant use and the realization of the rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance, researchers turned yet again to ecological notions and the time was fertile for the advent of probiotics. By the 1980’s the term had stabilized both in medical and veterinary literature. The mid 1990’s witnessed a surge of exponential studies on probiotics, the definition of Probiotics emerged in 2001 and the years thereafter saw tremendous progress in the science of probiotics.

Almost simultaneous was the study on the study of the intestinal microbiota when Alfred Nissile demonstrated that transferring members of the human gut microbiota to healthy typhoid carriers helped in Salmonella being cleansed from their system (Nissle, 1916). It was then, that the importance of the gut microbes in prevention of infection became evident. What followed was the advent of culture independent, modern biotechnological tools for whole genome sequencing and the successful launch of two most ambitious projects - Human Microbiome project (Turnbaugh et al., 2007) and the Met Hit project (Metahit, 2009; Qin et al., 2010). They provided fascinating insights into the highly complex microbial ecosystem harboured by the human body. The term Microbiome (refers to the collective genome of our microbial inhabitants) had entered literature in 2001 and the concept of gut microbiota in maintaining overall health gained wider attention.

Introduction

Thermal processing is an important treatment for food preservation is, especially in the manufacture of shelf-stable foods with specific nutritional properties. It is also indispensable for determining the sensory properties, particularly, colour, flavour, and texture of fried, baked, and roasted products. As a result of heat treatment, chemical changes induced, and a plethora of new molecules are formed in foods, some of which have been claimed to be health-promoting antioxidants and anti-mutagens. However, reports suggest that thermal processing leads to the formation of certain toxic compounds, so-called process-induced contaminants in foods. The process-induced toxicants are certain compounds which are formed in food as a result of food processing, exert adverse toxicological effects, and cause potential health risks to humans. Acrylamide, furan, chloropropanols, heterocyclic aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and N-nitrosamines are some well-known examples of thermal process contaminants.

Abstract

Kulfi is a mixture of fat; sugar and milk solid not fat together with added flavour. So diabetics people on restricted diets cannot consume kulfi having normal ingredients. Now-a-days, consumers demand for low fat/calorie products has significantly raised in an attempt to limit health problems, to lose or stabilize their weight and to work within the frame of a healthier diet. The role of fat replacers and sugar substitutes in the successful manufacture of these products is crucial. Development of sugar free kulfi would certainly ensure diabetic/obese people to enjoy ice cream/ kulfi. The current study is to standardize the kulfi recipe with fat and calorie replacer. Basic formula mix consist of Whole milk 60 percent, SMP 12 percent, Sugar 13 percent, Cream 15 percent and Stabilizer 0.5 percent where the whole milk was replaced by skim milk, cream and sugar was replaced by maltodextrin as a bulking agent and aspartame respectively alongwith sodium alginate as a stabilizer. The replacers were incorporated at four different levels of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent to the basic formula mix. Freezing of above kulfi mix was done by traditional method and softy freezer method. Sensory evaluation was carried out by using 9-point hedonic scale through semi-trained judges and results were statistically analyzed. On the basis of sensory scores it was revealed that sugar could be replaced 100% by artificial sweetener, bulking agent (Maltodextrin). It was found from the sensory scores that the milk fat in kulfi can be replaced upto 75 percent by sodium caseinate thereafter increase in caseinate gives prominent flavour of casein and kulfi body becomes thick and hard. It was concluded from the results that 100 percent sugar replacement was found feasible in preparation of low fat and low calorie kulfi. Results of the low fat and low calorie kulfi mix indicated that there was 32.29 percent reduction in the calorific value of experimental kulfi as compared to the control sample (traditional). It was concluded from the results that the kulfi with 75 percent less fat and 100 percent sugar free can be prepared with low cost in comparison with control.

Fruit beverages

Fruit beverages are highly refreshing, thirst quenching, appetizing, easily digestible and nutritionally far superior to synthetic drinks. The fruit beverages includes natural and sweetened juices, squash, syrup, cordial, nectar, Ready to Serve (RTS) beverages, fruit juice concentrate and citrus juice barley water. Fruits most commonly used to prepare beverages are oranges, lime, pineapple, grapes, cashew fruit, mango, jack fruit, apple etc. To prepare fruit beverages select fresh, fully ripe, tart, juicy and seasonal fruits.

Introduction

India is bestowed with varied agro-climatic conditions. Thus, horticultural crops have lot of potential in the country. India has witnessed voluminous increase in horticulture production over the last few years, which has undoubtedly doubled the income of farmers. As a result, the country has emerged as the 2nd largest producer of fruits (102.48 million tonnes) after China during 2020-21 (Anonymous, 2023). The abundance of fruits ranging from tropical delights like mango, banana, guava and papaya to temperate fruits such as apple, peach, plum, apricot and pear, have laid a robust foundation for the growth of the fruit processing industry. This chapter delves into the dynamics of fruit processed products in both local and international markets, exploring the challenges, opportunities and strategies for sustained success. Fruit processing plays a crucial role in adding value to horticultural produce, enhancing shelf-life and meeting the diverse demands of local and international markets. In India, a country blessed with abundant fruit varieties, the processed fruit industry has been witnessing significant growth, catering not only to the domestic market but also making strides in the global arena. The processing of these fruits into various products such as juices, pulps, concentrates, jams and dried fruits has emerged as a thriving industry. This chapter will provide insights into the current state of fruit processed products in India, their importance for both local consumption and export markets, challenges faced by the industry and potential avenues for the future growth.

Introduction

India, with its unique agro climatic conditions is capable of producing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. These highly perishable produce in both fresh and processed forms are of high demand in domestic as well as international market. Nowadays farming is becoming an enterprise and shifting towards consumer driven agriculture. Produce quality measurement is of utmost importance as consumers are more quality conscious and ready to pay higher for quality. Consumer preference is moving towards healthy food, minimally processed and, fresh cut fruits and vegetables, prepared salads, ready to cook, ready to eat and ready to drink health beverages. Hence health, nutrition, convenience, quality and safety of produce should be guaranteed to the consumers. Due to globalisation of production and trade, legislations and standards for markets are strict and product quality is the necessity for competitive markets.

Quality of a produce, based on subjective and objective measurement, is defined differently by consumers, wholesalers, retailers, processors or any other who is associated with it and varies with market either national or international. Quality of foods may be defined as the composite of those characteristics that differentiate individual units of a product, and have significance in determining the degree of acceptability of that unit to the user (Kramer, 1965). According to ISO (International Organisation of Standardisation), “Food quality is the totality of features and characteristics of a product that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs” and as per CAC (2003), “Food safety is the assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared and/or consumed according to its intended use”. Food safety is the most important component of quality.

Processed fruit and vegetable are considered as staple food products throughout the world, and are becoming more popular with the increase of the global urban population. As a result, demand for processed fruit and vegetable products tends to increase with population growth in the world. There is strong demand for processed fruits and vegetables in the developing world over the past few years. In poor countries, people consume less fruits and vegetables due to the relatively high prices. All forms of preserved fruits and vegetables are available only to the urban elite people. But rural mosses producing more than 90 % of these fruits and vegetables are usually deprived of their uses.

Demand of Processed Fruits and Vegetables

Demand of processed fruits and vegetables is increasing in the developing as well as under developing countries of world. The following reasons are responsible for day by day increasing demand of processed fruits and vegetables.

1.    Substantially used metal for manufacture of tin container for heat processed food is

(a) Aluminum

(b) Steel

(c) Iron

(d) Glass

2.    The steel used for the manufacturing of tin free plate metal food cans is

(a) High carbon cold rolled steel

(b) Low carbon hot rolled steel

(c) Low carbon cold rolled steel

(d) Moderate carbon hot rolled steel

3.    Which are the processes primarily used to fabricate the plastic containers used in sterilization process?

(a) Molding and injection

(b) Blowing and injection

(c) Cutting and heating

(d) Conditioing and calendering

Introduction

Rice is grown in more than 100 countries in the world and is an important crop for nutritional security of large part of the population. World rice production in 2007 was approximately 645 million tones. Around 50 countries have an annual production of more than 1 million tones. Ninety percent of the total rice is produced in Asian countries, with two countries, China and India, growing more than half the total crop. Top ten rice producing countries are China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, Philippines, and Brazil. In Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, rice provides 50-80% of the total calories consumed. Major part of the rice is consumed locally where produced and only 6-7% of world rice production is traded internationally.

3.1. General Introduction

Value addition refers to the conversion of a raw commodity or commodities into a processed product through the use of raw materials, labour, time and technology, all mixed in a way that ensures increased economic return. Even if the amount of processing in a product is much less, for example, any canned fruit can be considered as a processed product. Value added processing of horticultural food crops, mainly involves actions which changes fresh fruits and vegetables to create a greater value-added product for human consumption, which mostly includes canned products, juices, soups, sauces and dehydrated fruits and vegetables (Sharan, 2018). It results in diversification of agricultural activities, improves value addition opportunities and creates surplus for export of processed agro products. Processing often goes with perishable products like meat, milk, poultry, fruits and vegetables, often termed as High Value Products (HVPs), are in greater demand of processing (Sanal & Krishna, 2017). The demands for processed products are particularly strong in developing countries like China and India; mainly due to increasing industrialization and rapid urbanization, followed by elevated income levels, greater diversity in diets, and affinity towards premium-branded products (Sharan, 2018).

Introduction

Maize (Zea mays, or corn as it is known in some countries) is the principal cereal crop in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. The increasing use of maize as a staple food reflected the much higher yields per hectare, compared with wheat, rye and barley. Because maize was cheap, it became the dominant food and main source of dietary energy and protein for poor people, particularly those in rural and underprivileged segments of society. Maize is considered to be a native of the Americans. There are different views about the introduction of maize in India. One view is that maize was introduced into India by the Portuguese during the seventh century. Other view is that maize was introduced in Pre-Colombian era through the Atlantic Arabian trade route. This is supported by the more recent variability that has been observed in the maize collections made from the north eastern Himalayan region. However, the historic records regarding the cultivation of maize in India date back only to the Maratha Empire.

I. INTRODUCTION

Horticultural crops include fruits, vegetables, flowers, plantation crops, spices, and medicinal and aromatic plants have emerged as a major economic activity in India. It contributes 30% GDP from 11.73 % of its arable land area. Horticulture crops cover over 23.4 million hectares of area, which is approximately 12.7% of the total gross cropped area of the country and contributes 18-20% of the gross value of India’s agricultural output (NHB, 2013). India is the world’s second largest fruit and vegetable producing country accounting for 77.7 million metric tonnes of fruit and 159.5m M tonnes of vegetables (NHB, 2013). Besides, about 5.66 million tonnes of loose flowers, spices, mushroom and aromatic plants are also produced. The country produces 41% of world mangoes, 23% banana, 24% cashew nut, 36% green peas, 10% onion and 30% cauliflower and accounts for 12% of world fruit and 13.25% of vegetable production (NHB, 2013). Owing to wide diversity of agro climatic conditions, almost all types of temperate (apple, peach, plum, apricot, cherries and nuts), subtropical (mango, guava, papaya, etc), tropical (banana, pineapple etc), arid fruit (ber and aonla), plantation crops (coconut, cashewnut and arecanut) and diverse variety of vegetables are grown in India. The export of fresh fruit and vegetables from India in 2006-07 was estimated at 9.84 Lakh tonnes valued at Rs 2411.70 crores. Mango, grapes, apple, onion, potato, green vegetables like okra, bitter gourd and green chillies were the major items of export. Similarly, India exported 5.97 Lakh tonnes of processed foods comprising of mango pulp, juices, concentrates, dried and processed vegetables, pickle and chutney, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages worth Rs 2818.1 crores (APEDA, 2012) (Table 1 to 3).

The basic processing and preservation techniques such as canning, freezing, dehydration, salting, pickling and freeze drying are designed to change perishable foods into more usable form and prevent undesirable changes caused by microorganisms, or by chemical, physical and biochemical reactions in the food itself. Hence an ideal processing technology would involve prevention of growth of microorganisms and at the same time retention of f lavor, texture, nutritive value and palatability of the products.

Processing and Preservation

Processing and preservation is the best way of utilizing surplus production of fruits during seasonal gluts.

Milk is a highly perishable commodity. The shelf life of raw milk is in hours. In order to harness its full potential for the well being of the humanity, it is essential to extend its shelf life not only in days but also in months and years. This can be achieved by judicious application of processing and preservation technologies.

Preservation is any purposeful treatment or processing of a food which prevents spoilage and extends the shelf life of raw material to a longer than its natural keeping quality.

During storage and distribution foods are exposed to a wide range of environmental conditions. Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, oxygen and light can trigger several reactions that may lead to food deterioration. As a result foods may be altered to such an extent that they are either rejected by the consumer or are harmful to the person consuming them. It is, therefore, essential that the good knowledge of different reactions that cause food deterioration is gained prior to understanding the principles of food preservation.

The deterioration in foods may be caused either due to internal or external chemical or microbial reactions occurring in milk. The changes may be either latent to senses of consumer, or they may be discernible by the human senses. The consumer cannot perceive latent changes visually, olfactorily or otherwise, and laboratory measurements are the only method to detect them. Still the nutritional value of such materials may be seriously impaired. Such changes include fermentation, oxidation of lipids, loss of vitamins and changes in the contents and composition of nitrogenous substances.

Non-microbial changes in foods, perceptible to human senses, may often lead to serious deterioration noticeable to the average consumer. These include discolouration and changes in odor, taste and consistency. Microbial changes may result in alteration of original properties of milk making it unfit for further processing, deterioration in flavour quality, loss of nutrients and toxin production.

Introduction

It is the process of retaining food over a period of time without being contaminated by pathogenic organisms or chemicals and without losing its colour, texture, flavour and nutritious value. It involves preventing the growth of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms, as well as retarding the oxidation of fats which causes rancidity

Objective

• To increase its shelf life, retaining original nutritional values, colour, texture, and favour.

ABSTRACT

Banana plants areextensively known for their fruits butby-products (pseudostem, root, leave, male banana flower, and banana peel) from banana farms also have potential applicability because recycleprocess of these wastes can convert waste of banana farms into an outstandingresource of valuable raw materials for other industries. This practice avoids huge losses of unused biomass and environmental hazards. Banana flowers are discarded in banana farms during the harvesting of banana fruit bunches and produce a great amount of agricultural waste. Consumption of banana flower as a vegetable is trendy in some parts of Asian countries but the cleaning process of banana flower is an unwieldy practice because of the time and the laborengaged in separating the calyx and the pistil portion of these flowersbefore processing. Itis an abundant source of well-balanced essential amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, dietaryfiber, vitamins, minerals,and flavonoids. This flower also having tremendous medicinal properties as they possess several secondary metabolites. Thepresent review discusses the transformation of this agricultural waste into a different value-added product. The transformation of banana flowers into highly commercial outputs can be beneficial forsupplementary income to small scale farming industries.

Keywords: Banana, Banana flower, By-product, Value-added product, Antioxidant, Pre-treatments, Processing.

Yogurt is a fermented milk product that contains the characteristic bacterial cultures such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. All yogurts must contain at least 8.25% solids not fat.

Processing of fruits  and vegetables into various products which could be preserved for a long time and add to value of product using proper cost effective technology will be a viable tool for improving   economic status of  farmer as well as our country. Modern methods of fruit and vegetable preservation are  broadly classified as follows:

Introduction

Consumers are nowadays very much concerned about the food they purchase and consume. Consumer wants the food containing antioxidant properties or can say functional food in safe and stable forms, so that the availability of daily requirements of functional food ingredient must be ensured for normal growth and development of the body. The functional food that can provide a health benefit such as increased dietary fibre, vitamins or minerals to the body. The incorporation of antioxidant compounds acts as an efficient way to fight against reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in our body. As it is already known that the ROS causes oxidative stress and acts as a main trigger for different life threatening chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, aging etc. Therefore, seeing the consumers’ demand for value added products with bioactive ingredients, all small and large scale food industries are taking initiatives to process different types of food (fruits, vegetables, dairy, sea food, animal, microbial products etc.) to extract and purify its active fraction of functional ingredients to valorize different value added products. Functional ingredients may also be derived from different food wastes generated during processing of food. This practice provides additional economic benefits to food businesses. Food industries are also giving importance to different processing methods to extract high quality of functional food ingredients in large quantity because processing method affects the concentration of extracted bioactive compounds. The simple addition of functional ingredients may cause an unwanted and negative change of sensory and texture of food. Therefore, using novel processing technologies such as microencapsulation, the negative changes could be minimized or avoided because these technologies could prevent the inactivation of bioactive ingredients.

Abstract

The objectives of the study is to help to create self-employment and provide proper information for different conventional milk based products. Traditional dairy foods have always played a crucial role in preservation of precious milk nutrients and promotion of its use among masses. The demand for milk and milk products is increasing with increasing of world's population. To meet these needs, high-end technology is needed for emerging the capability of milk production and preserving it by producing high quality milk products. The dairy industry is highly localized owing to perishable nature of milk products. Approximately 50% of the total milk produced in India has been projected to be processed into a variety of conventional milk products, such as khoa, chhena, paneer, dahi, ghee, kalakand and a wide range of sweets in rural areas mostly by the rural citizens. Therefore, setting up a milk-based food production system and updating conventional technologies to manage milk-based products on a commercial scale is very important.

5.1 Introduction
The process of milk processing entails the transformation of liquid milk into dairy products, including pasteurised liquid milk, yoghurt, butter, cheese, and ghee. The following are the rationales for processing: There are numerous benefits to processing milk, including the ability to access distant markets, the extension of the product’s storage life, and the attraction of higher prices because of its enhanced transportability. Furthermore, processed products are less cumbersome and lighter, which facilitates transportation. The refining of milk improves its quality and hygienic safety, enabling the production of a variety of milk products, including cheese and liquid milk, to satisfy the diverse needs of consumers. Additionally, the processing industry contributes to economic development by creating employment. Small-scale processors are capable of producing a wide range of dairy products. Before determining which dairy products the group will produce, it is recommended that a comprehensive market/feasibility study be conducted. Milk products can be processed in the manner depicted in the image.

FRUIT TOFFEES

Fruit toffees can be prepared from different fruits like apricot, plum, apple and other fruits. Concentrate the fruit pulp to about half of its volume by cooking with sugar and other ingredients. Milk powder should be added in the form of paste. Heavy stirring is required till it hardens enough on cooling.

Introduction
Plantation crops are high-value industrial crops grown in the tropics and coastal areas. They have great potential for utilization of wasteland like rainfed dry land, hilly, arid, and coastal areas to provide nutritional security; earn foreign exchange, and ensure livelihood security. The major plantation crops grown in India are tea (Camellia sinensis L), coffee (Coffea arabica L.), rubber (Havea brasiliensis), coconut (Cocos nucifera), areca nut (Areca catechu L.), oil palm (Elaeis guinensis), cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) and cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.). India is the leading producer of most of
these plantation crops. Among all fruit crops, processing plays an important role in plantation crops as they are generally consumed only after processing. In addition to primary products, some by-products from these crops also have various commercial uses. Coconut, areca nut, cashew nut, black pepper, and cardamom are known as smallholder plantations whereas, crops like rubber, tea, and coffee are known as estate crops or conventional plantation crops. Processing aspects of some of these crops are discussed here:

Introduction

Agricultural production is necessary to fulfil nutritional requirements for human populations and global food security. The agricultural sector also forms the economic backbone of many low-income countries in which millions of farmers are employed (Anushka et al, 2022). However, managing agricultural production to achieve multiple objectives of providing food, supporting livelihoods and protecting biodiversity and forests is a challenge especially in tropical, low-income countries (Anushka et al, 2022). Usually, the growth in global agricultural production is largely driven by commercial and export oriented commodities. One such agricultural commodity that has high global demand is cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.). Cashew is presently cultivated in 33 countries including India in the world. Global land area for cashew cultivation between 1980 and 2018 has seen an eleven-fold increase from 526,250 ha to 5,972,724 ha (Anushka et al, 2022).

Coconut, arecanut and palmyrah, which hold significant cultural and historical importance in India, have been the primary focus of cultivation efforts. Cocoa, a relatively recent addition to India, serves as a companion crop to coconut and arecanut, contributing to the economic well-being of farmers nationwide. However, the current situation emphasizes the crucial role of value addition and product diversification in stabilizing prices. Despite the initial stages of value addition in India’s palm crops, recent innovations and established value chains have the potential to empower farmers as entrepreneurs, thereby augmenting their income. Moreover, the value-added products from these palms have enormous export potential. This chapter explores the advancements in value-added products and the diversification of coconut, arecanut, palmyrah, and cocoa, providing insights into opportunities for cottage or small-scale industries.

Oil palm is a major source of edible oil globally and plays a crucial role in meeting the dietary needs of millions of people. India has been focusing on expanding oil palm cultivation to reduce its dependence on imported edible oils. Oil palm can yield high oil compared to other vegetable oils. Palm oil production rate depends on post-harvest handling, and milling and extraction processes. After harvesting, some quality changes occur in oil palm fresh fruit bunches which leads to reduce the oil quantity and quality. With proper handling of post-harvest bunches and adapting best extraction methods can increase the oil yield and quality. Palm oil alone has the potential to make India sustainable in edible oil production.

Introduction

Oil palm (Elaesis guineensis Jacq.) originated in the tropical rain forest of western Africa and is now being cultivated in more than 45 countries around the world especially tropical regions i.e., Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Nigeria, Columbia, and Ghana. This crop was introduced in India during the early 1990s, to meet the demand and to attain sustainable edible oil production in India due to its high oil-yielding capacity compared to other vegetable oil crops. It produces two distinct oils, i.e., palm oil and palm kernel oil. Palm oil is derived from fleshy mesocarp of the fruit and palm kernel oil obtained from the kernel of stony seed.