FOOD SERVICES

 

FOOD SERVICES

DEFINITION:

Food science is a branch of science that studies all technical elements of food, from harvesting to slaughtering to cooking and consumption. It combines and utilizes knowledge from chemistry, engineering, biology, and nutrition to preserve, process, package, and distribute nutritious, wholesome, inexpensive, desirable, and safe foods.

EXPLANATION:

Food science has evolved over time as new technologies for preserving foods and ensuring public safety have become available. The food system was very different hundreds of years ago than it is now. People in rural areas purchased vast quantities of bulk essentials such as wheat, cereals, and sugar for home preparation, supplementing their staples with whatever fruits and vegetables they could cultivate or gather. These products were purchased in farmers' markets by city dwellers, a habit that is still practiced in many areas today. When preserved in cool, dark rooms called root cellars, some goods, such as potatoes, might last for months. People bought enormous blocks of ice cut from the surfaces of frozen lakes and rivers and preserved perishable meals in their ice boxes before modern refrigerators became accessible.

Throughout history, a variety of ways for preserving foods have been created, including salting meat, drying fruits and vegetables in the sun or over low fires, and turning milk into cheese. Nicholas Appert, a Frenchman, invented a method for preserving food in glass jars in the early 1800s. Appert is known as the "Father of Canning," but he is also hailed as the "Father of Food Science" by some. Modern food science, on the other hand, entails a lot more than only food preservation. Food scientists assist in the development of novel products, the design of manufacturing methods for these foods, the selection of packaging materials, the study of product shelf life, sensory evaluations, and microbiological and chemical testing. Food scientists research more fundamental phenomena that are closely related to the manufacturing of a certain food product and its qualities at universities.

Food science is an applied science that, like engineering, draws on information from a variety of natural science domains to solve practical challenges. Microbiologists, chemists, and physicists are all well-versed in the fundamentals of food science. Food scientists seek to ensure that products are free of bacteria and dangerous substances because food safety is everyone's top priority. The chemical makeup of meals is particularly essential in determining flavor, color, appearance, and texture quality. Food scientists must also have a basic understanding of engineering principles in order to comprehend how a processing method affects the food.

FOOD SCIENCE SUBDISCIPLINES

Food Microbiology or Food Safety

The causes of foodborne infections and how to avoid them.

Preserving Food

The causes of food spoilage and how to avoid it.

Food Science and Technology

The industrial procedures that are utilized to make food.

Development of New Products

The development of novel culinary items.

Sensory Evaluation

Food perception is the study of how food is perceived by the senses of the consumer.

The Science of Food

The molecular structure of food and how those molecules are involved in chemical processes.

Biotechnology in the Food Industry

The application of genetic engineering techniques to produce foods with desirable characteristics, such as insect resistance.

Science of Nutraceuticals

Foods that may offer special health or medicinal benefits are studied.

Science of Fermentation

Beer, wine, and other fermented foods are made.

The food industry is relatively immune to the economic ups and downs that other businesses face since people constantly need to eat. Food processing is the largest manufacturing industry in the United States, employing over 14 million people and accounting for 20% of GDP. After graduation, the vast majority of food science majors find well-paying professions.