Food Science and Technology

FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Introduction
Food science is the study of the physical, biological, and chemical makeup
of food; the causes of food deterioration; and the concepts underlying food
processing.
Food technology is the application of food science to the selection,

preservation, processing, packaging, distribution, and use of safe food. Related
fields include analytical chemistry, biotechnology, engineering, nutrition,
quality control, and food safety management.
Food Science and Technology is an exciting multidisciplinary field that

prepares students with a comprehensive knowledge of the biological, physical and
engineering sciences to develop new food products, design innovative processing
technologies, improve food quality and nutritive value, enhance the safety of foods
and ensure the wholesomeness of our food supply.
Objectives
 Define the food science and technology
 Discuss the history of food science and technology
 Understand the importance of food science and technology
THE FIVE BRANCHES OF FOOD SCIENCE
1. Food Microbiology
Basically the study of how microorganisms interact with foods, food

microbiology focuses on bacteria, molds, yeasts and viruses. Areas of particular
importance to product development are food safety and quality. Food safety deals
with preventing pathogens in foods. It’s nearly impossible to eliminate
microorganisms from any food, but many steps can be taken to slow their growth
or inactivate them.
The key to controlling spoilage is killing as many bacteria as we can without
also killing the quality of the food in which they reside. Food microbiology is one
of the most important fields of food science when it comes to product
development, especially in this age of litigation.
2. Food Engineering & Processing
As far as product developers go, food engineers develop the concepts that
processors use to turn raw ingredients into safe, long-lasting foods. In menu
development, engineers may not play a direct role, but processors will.
Consider high-pressure processing (HPP) and its effect on the fresh fruit and
vegetable juice industry. HPP is a non-thermal or “cold pasteurization” process
developed to allow fruit and vegetable juices to be produced without any of the
deleterious effects of thermal treatments, such as changes in flavor, texture or
color.
An all-natural, healthy and flavorful product can be produced thanks to food

processing engineers.
3. Food Chemistry & Biochemistry

All foods are biochemicals because in most cases foods or their raw ingredients
are or were living entities. Understanding biochemistry can be of vital importance to a
product developer. Take the activity of enzymes. Adding the enzyme lactase to
milk cuts the disaccharide lactose into its individual components galactose and
glucose, making it more digestible. This opens up a whole spectrum of products for
the lactose-intolerant. But the enzyme has an optimal activity at a specific pH and
temperature—it won’t survive certain types of processing. A grounding in
biochemistry provides the knowledge to develop a product that takes advantage of
such compounds.
4. Nutrition
A major challenge for product and menu developers is providing flavorful
foods that contain fewer calories but still satiate the customer. Food scientists have
put a major focus on identifying and characterizing the biological effects of so-
called nutraceuticals and functional foods. Product developers are drawing on this
research and working to incorporate these foods or their specific bioactive
compounds into new products.
Fortification is another topic that product developers must consider.
“Vitamin blends” commonly added to retail products are expensive and highly
unstable. The point at which they are added during the manufacturing process will
have an effect on their final active concentration. The effects of processing, storage
and preparation on the nutritional quality of foods is also key. Food technologists
may develop an HPP process that preserves the natural vitamin A content in, say,
an avocado puree.
5. Sensory Analysis
Sensory science uses people to describe and evaluate flavors, textures,
appearance and other attributes of foods. Sensory evaluation practices are integral
to product developers. Sensory techniques can be used to narrow down concepts
and choose protocepts, optimize a developing product and monitor and control
quality of the finished product.
Products can be evaluated and optimized using quantitative descriptive

analysis (QDA), in which a focus group defines the sensory attributes for a product
and establishes numerical scores for these attributes.
HISTORY OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The Department of Food Science & Technology has evolved from origins at
the Berkeley campus, in the Department of Viticulture and Enology, in 1918, and
the Department of Dairy Industry, in 1908.
The subsequent origin and divergence of Food Science & Technology has
been recounted briefly in FS&T's entry, in The Centennial Record of the
University of California, 1868-1968.
IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Food science is the discipline of applied science dedicated to the study of

food. It is not just limited to chemistry alone but is a combination of various
disciplines like biology, biochemistry, engineering, molecular biology and
genetics, nutritional and health science and microbiology which is aimed at
providing a better understanding of food components and materials, their
conversion to healthy and safe products and delivery to the consumers.
With the aid of various disciplines in food science and technology, raw
materials are being converted to edible foods. Reduced diseases, improved safety
and quality, variety, less cost, less wastage are some of the advancements in the
field.
EXERCISES
Direction: Identify the following. Write your answers before the number.
_______________________1. It is the study of the physical, biological, and
chemical makeup of food; the causes of food deterioration; and the concepts
underlying food processing.
_______________________2. It is the application of food science to the selection,
preservation, processing, packaging, distribution, and use of safe food.
_______________________3. It is an exciting multidisciplinary field that prepares

students with a comprehensive knowledge of the biological, physical and
engineering sciences.
_______________________4. It is the study of how microorganisms interact with

foods, food microbiology focuses on bacteria, molds, yeasts and viruses.
_______________________5. They develop the concepts that processors use to

turn raw ingredients into safe, long-lasting foods.
_______________________6. All foods are biochemicals because in most cases

foods or their raw ingredients are or were living entities.
_______________________7. It is another topic that product developers must

consider.
_______________________8. It uses people to describe and evaluate flavors,

textures, appearance and other attributes of foods.
_______________________9. It is a process developed to allow fruit and
vegetable juices to be produced without any of the deleterious effects
_______________________10. Are integral to product developers.
11-15. What are the five branches of food science?
16-20. What is the importance of Food Science and Technology? Give atleast 5
sentences.

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FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Food technology is the application of food science to the selection,

Food Science and Technology is an exciting multidisciplinary field that

THE FIVE BRANCHES OF FOOD SCIENCE

Basically the study of how microorganisms interact with foods, food

An all-natural, healthy and flavorful product can be produced thanks to food

3. Food Chemistry & Biochemistry

Products can be evaluated and optimized using quantitative descriptive

HISTORY OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Food science is the discipline of applied science dedicated to the study of

_______________________3. It is an exciting multidisciplinary field that prepares

_______________________4. It is the study of how microorganisms interact with

_______________________5. They develop the concepts that processors use to

_______________________6. All foods are biochemicals because in most cases

_______________________7. It is another topic that product developers must

_______________________8. It uses people to describe and evaluate flavors,

_______________________10. Are integral to product developers.

11-15. What are the five branches of food science?

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