CONVENIENCE FOODS

Today the term “ Convenience Food” is widely used in the catering industry. This is probably due to the rapid progress in food technology over the past decade. It can be defined as any types of food where some stage of preparation has been completed before hand facilities further cooking in less and in more convenient way.

Processing Method

A.F.D

Aseptic

Canning

Dehydratio

n

Boil in

bag

Additives

Dehydro-

Freezing

Instant

Freezing

Smoked

Preservation

Spray Dryin

g

Freezer

Burn

Accelerated Freeze Drying (A.F.D)

By using high vacuum techniques. It is possible to produce specific conditions of temperature and pressure which create an ideal condition for dehydration of food without collapse of cell. The food stuff are treated so well so they improve texture and retention rehydrating potential. This process is very costly and its lead to increase in cost of production.

Ex:- Frozen peas, cauliflower, spinach etc.

AdditivesNon nutritive substance added to food in small

quantity to improve its appearance, flavor, texture and storage properties

EX:- natural, vinegars

Aseptic Canning

A hewer development in canning designed for those products which are adversely affected by heat with in sealed containers products like fruits.

Boil-in-bag “ready food”A convenience entrée or vegetable

commodity portioned items are packaged in special plastic bags, sealed then frozen. To reconstitute the unopened bag is dropped into boiling water for predetermined period.

Dehydration

A method of preservation food by reducing the moisture content to such a level that microbe can not grow and reproduce. The method used depends on the food

Ex:- Pulse and leafy vegetable

Dehydro- freezing

A method of preservation where the moisture content of certain food is reduced by 70% then quick frozen. Because the cell do not collapse, the product has good texture retention.

Ex:- Beans, peas

Freezer Burn

In any frozen storage room there is a steady removals of moisture from unprotected foods which may result in unpleasant irreversible change to the color, texture, flavor, and nutritive value.

Instant freezing Preservation

Method of preservation using liquid nitrous oxide at 128f below zero. By gently flushing food through nitrogen, freezing is almost instantaneous, production very tiny ice crystals, so important of good texture retention.

Spray DryingA method of dehydration food by spraying a slurry of

the commodity into a hot air chamber, which dries the material immediately forming a power. Good rehydration properties and nutrient retention in milk, dried soup and instant coffee.

Smoked Preservation This process is applied to a wide verity of raw and

prepared foods. When used with fish, usually the fish is salt cured before smoked further examples relation to smoked sausages, meats etc.

Advantages of Convenience food

1) Reduced operation cost2) Reduce food production time.3) Less space & equipment is needed to produce

basic items.4) Operation cost can be reduced because of less

labor. Less waste, less spoilage of food, less storage & less cleaning

Advantages of Convenience food

5) An unexpectedly high demand can be accommodated more easily using convenience foods.

6) Wastage can be reducing considerably , particularly in situations where menu items are coated or reheated straight from the freezer.

7) Portion control is made easier by using a specified portion size. Many items are available in single portion size.

Disadvantages of Convenience food

1)We cannot get natural freshness through convenient product.2) If frozen food not stored at adequate temperature. It will affect

on color, texture, flavor, and nutritive value.3) Convenience food can be used only for the specific period.4) The cost of many convenience foods are higher than that of the

fresh foods in season.

Prof. Pravin Rathod