COMMON TERMS AND DEFINATIONS IN FOOD PRESERVATION AND PROCESSSING

1. Additive * Describes a substance added to products in order to improve colour, flavouring, texture
and/or preservation; change characteristics and aid processing.
2. Aging * changes in tenderness that take place in means after slaughter.
3. Canning/Aseptic Packaging • The packing of food in a container, sealing the container and heating it to
sterilize the food.
4. Curing • The addition of a chemical compound (sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite) to food to slow the
growth of bacteria.
5. Drying • Extraction of moisture by sun, air, heat or vacuum to inhibit the growth of molds, bacteria and
yeasts
6. Emulsifier * An emulsifier is an additive that produces a stable mixture of food components; oils, fats,
water, air, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins and flavors. Emulsifiers blend the ingredients of
the mixtures and prevent them separating during processing.
7. Enzyme * Any number of proteins or conjugated proteins produced by living organisms and functioning
as biochemical catalysts.
8. Extraction* is the process of separating a component from a liquid or solid to ensure food safety or to
alter the properties. Extraction is often used to provide concentrated samples of plant products that
make food processing quicker and easier. For example, vanilla essence is extracted from vanilla pods.
9. Fermentation • The use of special bacteria, molds or yeasts to prevent spoilage by converting the
elements of food that spoil easily to stable elements that act as preservatives.
10. Ferming Agents * Calcium salts, such as chloride or carbonate, that may be added to fruit or vegetables
to keep them firm.
11. Food concentration • Heating food until it boils and removing the water or partially freezing food and
removing water in the form of ice crystals
12. Food extrusion * is a form of extrusion used in food processing. It is a process by which a set of mixed
ingredients are forced through an opening in a perforated plate or die with a design specific to the food,
and are then cut into a specific size by blades.
13. Freeze Drying • The freezing of food and the subsequent removal of water from the frozen food through
the use of heat and a vacuum.
14. Freezing * means the solidification phase change of a liquid or the liquid content of a substance, usually
due to cooling
15. Freezing • The lowering of the temperature of food to temperatures below 28 degrees F to stop the
growth of bacteria, yeasts and molds and to kill parasites
16. Food storage * is the process in which both cooked and raw materials are stored in appropriate
conditions for future use without any entry or multiplication of microorganisms
17. Gluten * Gluten is the protein element found in cereal grains, such as wheat, oats and barley. The gluten
in flour gives dough its elasticity when mixed with water.
18. Homogenization * process which reduces fat globules to a smaller and approximately equal size.
19. Irradiation • ( Ionizing) Passing energy through food to destroy insects, fungi, or bacteria that cause
human disease or cause food to spoil.
20. Jugging * is the process of stewing whole animals, mainly game or fish, for an extended period in a
tightly covered container such as a casserole or an earthenware jug.
21. Microorganism * An organisms so small, it can only be seen through a microscope
22. Pasteurization • The heating of milk and other liquids which reduces the number of disease- producing
bacteria.
23. Pectin * is a gelling and thickening agent found naturally in ripe fruit. Pectin is commonly used in the
production of jams, jellies and preservatives, and can be found in dried and liquid form.
24. Pickling * is the process of preserving or extending the lifespan of food by either anaerobic
fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar.
25. Preservation * Processing designed to protect food from spoilage caused by microbes, enzymes and
auto-oxidation.
26. Refrigeration • The lowering of the temperature of food to inhibit the growth of bacteria, molds and
yeasts.
27. Salting • The addition of salt or a brine solution to foods to decrease the activity of molds, bacteria and
yeasts
28. Smoking • The addition of smoke and heat to preserve food by the action of the chemicals from the
smoked wood and the partial drying of the food.
29. Smoke point * temperature at which the decomposition products of fat become visible.
30. Sugaring * is the process of desiccating a food by first dehydrating it, then packing it with pure sugar.
This sugar can be crystalline in the form of table or raw sugar, or it can be a high sugar density liquid
such as honey, syrup or molasses
31. Vacuum packing * is a method of packaging that removes air from the package prior to sealing. This
method involves (manually or automatically) placing items in a plastic film package, removing air from
inside, and sealing the package.