Lesson 3: Principles of Food Processing

Methods of Food Processing

1. Salting, Curing, Smoking

★ Salting: introducing salt into the flesh of fish or meat.

Microbial cells die in the meat from the loss of water,
therefore, preventing spoilage.

Osmosis the movement of water or other solvent

from a region of low solute concentration to a
region of high solute concentration

★ Curing: application of salt and other ingredients to draw

moisture out and introduce flavor to the food.
- Salting is an example of curing
- Includes: pork/chicken/beef/carabeef tocino,
longganisa, ham, and bacon

★ Smoking: involves exposing fish or meat to smoke from

burning wood. Done to achieve distinct flavor.

Hot smoking
– done at 63 to 80 degrees celcius
– adds flavor while cooking the product

Cold Smoking
– done at 20 to 37 degrees celcius
– retain about 90% of their moisture. They have to
be refrigerated
– adds flavor without cooking the product
2. Fermentation and Pickling

★ Types of Fermentation

Lactic Acid Fermentation

- Breakdown of sugar which yields energy in the
form of ATP and produces a byproduct called
lactic acid
- yogurts

Alcoholic Fermentation
- Breakdown of sugar into alcohol and carbon
dioxide
- Final product is ethanol
- Beers, wines

Acetic Acid Fermentation

- Follows alcoholic fermentation and uses a starter
vinegar
- Produce acetic acid

★ Pickling
– uses acidic brine (consist of vinegar and sugar that are
boiled) to preserve food
– the use of heat and acid kills the bacteria

3. Sugar Concentration
- Jams, mamalades, preserves, jellies
- Can last up to 3 - 12 months

Three ingredients
● Pectin
● Sugar
● Acidity
4. Drying and Dehydration

★ Drying
- Involves taking out moisture content from food
- Moisture-removal like sun drying
- Daing and tuyo

★ Dehydration
- Controls the temperature, time, and humidity of an
equipment when the food is dried
- Dried mango, tamarind

5. Thermal Application

★ Pasteurization

★ Pressurization
- Kills microorganism by subjecting it to intense
pressure and heat
- Sometimes referred to as canning