Chapter more diverse and there is now increasing demand for ‘fresh’ and ‘organic’ foods, ‘safer and healthier’ foods and foods with adequate shelf life. Consumers expect better-quality foods with retention of nutrients, many a time having specific functional properties and taste/texture/consistency, while being shelf-stable and easy to package, store and transport. This has served as a stimulus to scientists to develop methods and techniques to process foods in a manner that the food products will meet the requirements and demands of the consumers. All of us eat readymade foods.
These range from biscuits, bread, pickles/papads to foods such as ready-to-eat curries, meal items, snacks, etc. Such foods are manufactured using a variety of processes and technologies. For some, simple traditional methods are still used while newer processes and technologies are employed to produce processed foods in bulk. Significance: India has progressed from an agro-deficit to an agro- surplus country creating need for storage and processing of agricultural and horticultural produce.
Indian food industry has thus emerged as a major producer of processed foods and ranks fifth in terms of size, contributing nearly per cent of GDP. Besides, changes in lifestyle, increasing mobility and globalisation have increased the demands for various types of products, making the research for newer technologies necessary. It is well known that simple diets based largely on staple foods such as cereals are often deficient in certain nutrients leading to their deficiency disorders. Therefore, food fortification is done by adding the nutrient that is lacking in the food stuffs or condiments to ensure that minimum dietary requirements are met.
Some examples are iodised salt, folic acid added to flour, vitamin A and D added to milk and oils/fats. In fact, FSSAI has laid down standards for fortification of staple food like salt, wheat flour, milk and oats. Increasing prevalence of diseases like heart disease and diabetes and concern about wellness, has made it necessary for scientists to alter the nutrient content of foods, for example reducing the Calorie content of processed foods in several ways such as using artificial sweeteners . Likewise fat from ice creams is replaced by specially treated proteins which give ice cream the smooth texture associated with fat but the energy value is reduced.
Also, consumer perceptions about food have changed. The demand for foods free of chemicals, pesticides and preservatives, yet having a longer shelf life and retaining their natural flavour and appearance, is rapidly increasing. All this has increased the importance of food processing and technology as a discipline and there is a huge demand for food technologists.