FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: STAGES OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Product development is the process of making new or modified food products. The process of

product development involves a complex series of stages, requiring the combined talents of many

specialists to make it successful.

The aim of product development is for a company to increase sales and remain competitive.

1. Develop ideas for a new product

2. Test ideas on a small scale: Research is carried out to form a number of recipes and

specify the ingredients to be used. Several versions of the product are usually made, using

slightly different ingredients or processes. i.e. the products are PROTOTYPED in the

company's test kitchen, often by a professional chef or food consultant. A small number of

staff, experienced in sensory evaluation, test the products and evaluate them informally.

3. Sensory evaluation: Sensory evaluation is carried out at many stages of the development

process. Trained assessors comment on the appearance, odour, taste and texture of the

products to make sure that the product being developed displays the desired sensory

characteristics.

4. Modify product: in line with short falls that may have been recorded during evaluation.

5. Pilot plant: A pilot plant is a small version of the equipment used in manufacture.

6. Sensory evaluation

7. Perform consumer testing

8. Finalize product specification Product specifications detail exact ingredients and

precise methods of production. The specification is very important as it will be used for

the production of each batch of the product to ensure consistency.

 9. Produce product on a large scale The manufacturing process is sometimes organised in

unit operations, such as size reduction, mixing and cooking. These are controlled to

maintain consistent product quality, safeguard staff health, food safety standards and to

avoid problems that may stop the production line running, which would result in 'down

time'.

'UNIT OPERATIONS'

The processes involved in manufacturing food products are known as 'unit operations'. These

include:

 Storage e.g. keeping raw materials in good condition

 Cleaning e.g. removing foreign matter

 Sorting/grading e.g. assessing the quality

 Size reduction e.g. trimming, slicing, crushing

 Mixing/combining: different ingredients are mixed to form a homogenous product.

 Heat transfer e.g. cooking and cooling

 Filtration: in cases of liquid foods, filtration is done to allow only desire substances into

the final product.

10. Advertise the product

11. Launch new product

RAW MATERIAL PREPARATION FOR PROCESSING

1. Cleaning: Cleaning is when contaminating materials are removed from the food and

separated to leave the surface of the food in a suitable condition for further processing.

Stones, sands and metals and unwholesome. Cleaning is done by;

 Wet cleaning

 Dry cleaning

 Physical removing contaminants and foreign bodies

2. Grading: Grading is carried out by operators who are trained to simultaneously assess a

number of variables. For example, eggs are visually inspected over to assess up to twenty

factors and remove those that are for example, fertilised or malformed and those that

contain blood spots or rot. Meats, for example, are examined by inspectors for disease, fat

distribution, bone to flesh ratio and carcass size and shape.

3. Peeling: Peeling is used in the processing of many fruits and vegetables to remove

unwanted or inedible material, and to improve the appearance of the final product.

FOOD PRESERVATION

Food preservation is defined as the science, which deals with the prevention of decay or spoilage

of food, thus allowing it to be stored in a fit condition for future use.

The processes used vary with the length of storage intended. It may be as simple as boiling milk

so that it may keep for 24 hours or pickling of mango where the intended period of storage may be

as long as a year.
In order to preserve food, processing is directed at inactivating or controlling

microorganisms and enzymatic activity is. However, it must be remembered that no method of

preservation will improve the original quality of the product.

Preservation of food helps in:

1. Increasing the shelf-life of foods thus increasing the supply.

2. Making the seasonal food available throughout the year.

3. Adding variety to the diet.

4. Saving time by reducing preparation time and energy.

5. Preservation increases availability of foods, thus improving the nutrition of the people.

6. Availability of seasonal foods throughout the year also helps in stabilizing prices of such

foods.

Foods vary greatly in the length of time for which they can be held in their natural form without

spoilage. For purposes of food preservation, foods are classified as perishable, semi-perishable and

non-perishable.

 Perishable foods such as milk, meat, sea foods and many fruits and vegetables begin to

deteriorate almost immediately after harvest if not preserved.

 These foods have a high moisture content and are highly susceptible to spoilage.
FOOD SPOILAGE

Food spoils, due to deteriorative changes that occur in it, that make it inedible or harmful.

Foods change from the time of harvest, catch or slaughter. These changes may result in making

the foods unfit for human beings.

There are several causes of food spoilage. These are

1. Growth of microorganisms, which bring, about undesirable changes.

2. Action of enzymes present in the food.

3. Oxidative reactions in the food.

4. Mechanical damage to the food (e.g., bruising of apples, bananas, mangoes, tomatoes).

5. Damage due to pests (e.g., insects and rodents)

1. MICROBIAL SPOILAGE

 Moulds are the cottony growth on bread or cooked rice. These mould growth makes

the food unfit to eat. Moulds are fungi, with a mass of branching, intertwined, multi-

cellular filaments. These form spores are very light and coloured. A relatively small

number of moulds produce toxic materials in food. These toxins are known as

mycotoxins. Aflatoxins are an example of this group. Aflatoxins are produced in

harvested crops, such as groundnuts, wheat and millet if these are not dried promptly

after harvest and stored.

  Yeasts grow usually on foods, such as fruits which have sugar and water. The musty

smell of spoiled grapes is due to the growth of yeasts on them. Foods are often

contaminated with yeasts and they can cause spoilage by conversion of the sugar

present in the foods to alcohol and carbon dioxide. Foods liable to be spoiled by yeasts

are fruit juices, molasses, honey, jams and jellies.

 Bacteria usually cause spoilage in foods such as vegetables, milk, eggs, meat and fish.

Some of them when ingested can be harmful to human beings.

2. Enzymes spoilage

Enzymes are organic catalyst produced by living cells. The changes in foods during storage can

be produced both by enzymes present in the food or by enzymes from micro-organisms that

contaminate the food. A good example is the ripening of banana in which the enzyme present in

the food hasten the ripening process. Beyond a certain stage, the enzymes can render the fruit too

soft and unfit to eat. If there is a bruised spot in the fruit, yeasts could grow and produce enzymes,

which could spoil the fruit.

3. Spoilage by Insects

Worms, bugs, weevils, fruit flies, and moths may reduce its nutrient content and render it unfit for

human consumption. It is thus evident that unless foods are handled, prepared, and preserved

carefully they are susceptible to contamination and spoilage.

In order to preserve food, processing directed at inactivating or controlling microorganisms and

enzymatic activity is necessary. However, it must be remembered that no method of preservation

will improve the original quality of the product.

Principles of Food Preservation

The principles on which food preservation is based can be classified as follows:

1. Prevention or delay of microbial decomposition.

(a) By keeping out microorganisms (asepsis).

(b) By removal of microorganisms, e.g., by filtration.

(c) By hindering the growth and activity of microorganisms, e.g., by use of low temperatures.

2. By killing the microorganisms, e.g., by heat or radiations.

3. Prevention or delay of self-decomposition of the food.

(a) By destruction or inactivation of food enzymes, e.g., by blanching or boiling.

(b) By prevention or delay of purely chemical reactions, e.g., prevention of oxidation by means

of an antioxidant.

4. Prevention of damage by insects, animals, mechanical causes etc.

METHODS OF FOOD PRESERVATION

Food preservation methods can be broadly divided into two categories:

1. Bacteriostatic method in which microorganisms are unable to grow in the food, e.g., in

dehydration, pickling, salting, smoking, freezing etc.

 2. Bactericidal methods in which most of the microorganisms present in the food are killed,

e.g., in canning, cooking, irradiation etc.

1) Dehydration (removal of water)

Microorganisms need moisture to grow. When the moisture in the food is removed and the

concentration of water brought below a certain level, they are unable to grow and spoil the food.

Moisture can be removed by the application of heat as in sun-drying and in mechanical heating or

by binding the moisture with addition of sugar or salt and making it unavailable to the

microorganisms.

a) Sun Drying: In countries like Ghana, direct rays of the sun are used for drying a variety of

foods. Vegetables and fruits are washed, peeled, prepared and placed on flat trays under

the sun.

Beans, potatoes, garlic, onion, and all leafy vegetables can be sun-dried. Fish (“Koobi” and

shrimp are dried by exposing them to the sun on the seashore. Cereals are also sun dried.

Foods dried this way are exposed to dirt, insects and to the air, there is always a risk of

contamination and spoilage.

b) Smoking: Foods can also be dried by exposing them to smoke by burning wood under them

foods. In this method, while the heat from the smoke helps in removal of moisture,

exposure to smoke imparts a characteristic flavour to the food. Fish and meat are the foods

usually preserved by this method.

 c) Mechanical Drying: Dehydrators and spray driers are examples of mechanical devices used

for drying food. These are either heated electrically or by steam. Temperature and humidity

are controlled in such equipment and hence a product of superior quality (better colour,

correct texture and the right flavour).

d) Addition of Salt: salt binds with moisture in foods to prevent growth of microorganisms

and helps preserve foods. In Ghana, fish and meat and preserved using this method.

2) Use of Oil and Spices

A layer of oil on top of any food prevents growth of microorganisms like moulds and yeasts

by preventing exposure to air. Thus, certain pickles in which enough oil is added to form a

layer at the top can be preserved for long periods. “shito”.

3) Use of Chemical Preservatives

Certain chemicals when added in small quantities can hinder undesirable chemical reaction in

food by interfering with the cell membrane of the microorganism or their enzyme activity. E.g

Sodium benzoate.

Maximum amounts allowed to be added to each type of food is regulated by law because higher

concentrations can be a health hazard

4) Use of Acid

Acid conditions inhibit growth of many microorganisms. Organic acids are added or allowed to

form in the food to preserve them. Acetic (vinegar), citric (lime juice) and lactic acids are

commonly used as preservatives. Onions are bottled in vinegar with a little salt. Vinegar is also
added to pickles, chutneys, sauces and ketchups. Citric acid is added to many fruit squashes, jams

and jellies to increase the acidity and prevent mould growth.

Blanching is another mild heat treatment, used mainly for vegetables and some fruits prior to

freezing. The main aim of blanching is to inactivate enzymes that would cause deterioration of

food during frozen storage. This is essential, because freezing does not completely stop enzyme

action and so foods that are stored in the frozen state for many months slowly develop off-flavors

and off-colors. Blanching usually involves dipping the vegetable in boiling or near-boiling water

for 1–3 minutes.

Some destruction of bacteria also is achieved during blanching and the extent depends on the

length or the heat treatment. Blanching does not produce a sterile product. Foods that have been

blanched require a further preservation treatment to significantly increase their shelf life. Usually

foods are frozen after blanching.

5) Use of Low Temperatures

Microbial growth and enzyme reaction are retarded in foods stored at low temperatures.

The lower the temperature, the greater the retardation. Low temperatures employed can be;

A. Cellar storage (about 15°C): Temperatures in cellars (underground rooms) where surplus

food is stored in many villages are usually not much below that of the outside air and is

seldom lower than 15°C. The temperature is not low enough to prevent the action of many

spoilage organisms or of the plant enzymes. Decomposition is, however, slowed down
 considerably. Root crops, potatoes, onions, apples and similar foods can be stored for

limited periods during the winter season (coldest season of the year).

B. Refrigerator or chilling temperature (0°C to 5°C).

Fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry, fresh milk and milk products, fish and eggs can be preserved

from two days to a week when held at this temperature. In addition to the foods mentioned above,

foods prepared for serving or left-overs may also be stored in the household refrigerator.

Enzymes in most fresh vegetables must be inactivated before freezing by a process known as

blanching. Commercial cold storages with proper ventilation and automatic control of

temperatures are also used throughout the country (mostly in cities) for the storage of semi-

perishable products, such as potatoes and apples. This has made such foods available throughout

the year and has also stabilised their prices in these cities

C. Freezing temperatures (–18°C to –40°C)

At a temperature of (–18°C to –40°C) growth of micro-organisms and enzyme activity are reduced

to the minimum. Most perishable foods can be preserved for several months if the temperature is
brought down quickly (called quick freezing) and the food held at these temperatures. Foods can

be quick frozen in about 90 minutes or less by

i. placing them in contact with the coil through which the refrigerant flows:

ii. blast freezing, in which cold air is blown across the food;

iii. by dipping in liquid nitrogen.