Answer: Microwave heating and starch gelatinization are two distinct yet fundamental processes in food technology, crucial for processing and shelf-life extension. Microwave heating utilizes electromagnetic energy for rapid, volumetric heating, while gelatinization describes the irreversible swelling and structural changes of starch in the presence of heat and water. **i. Food processing applications of microwave heating** Microwave heating, a dielectric heating method, employs electromagnetic waves (e...

Answer: Browning reactions are chemical processes occurring in food that result in the formation of brown pigments, significantly impacting their appearance, flavor, and nutritional value. These reactions are broadly categorized into enzymatic and non-enzymatic types, both crucial in food processing and shelf-life extension strategies. Enzymatic browning occurs in damaged plant tissues, exposing phenolic compounds to the enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and oxygen. PPO oxidizes phenolics into quinones, ...

Answer: High Pressure Processing (HPP), also known as Pascalization, is a novel non-thermal food preservation technology used to extend shelf life and ensure food safety while maintaining quality attributes. It involves subjecting food products, typically pre-packaged, to extremely high hydrostatic pressures, ranging from 100 to 1000 MPa (14,500 to 145,000 psi), for a short duration. This innovative method helps meet consumer demand for minimally processed, additive-free foods. The principle of HPP is ...

Answer: Membrane technology, encompassing processes like microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO), is a pressure-driven, non-thermal separation technique. Its significant potential in food processing stems from its ability to efficiently separate, concentrate, fractionate, and purify various food components, offering sustainable and quality-preserving alternatives to traditional methods. One major advantage is its non-thermal nature, which protects heat-...

Answer: Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) is a novel separation technology that leverages the unique properties of a substance above its critical temperature and pressure, where it exhibits characteristics of both a gas (low viscosity, high diffusivity) and a liquid (high density, solvent power). In the food industry, carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most commonly used supercritical fluid due to its non-toxic, non-flammable, and generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status. SFE offers significant advantage...