Food technologies have become so common these days that people across the world have accustomed to it. Nowadays the food chain is long and complicated, foods and food technologies are diverse; consequently the consumers are uncertain about the food quality and safety and find it difficult to orient themselves to the subject. That is why consumer acceptance of food technologies is an important question. However in these days acceptance of food products very often depends on potential benefits and risks associated with the food. This also includes the technology the food is processed with. Acceptance of the different food technologies is very different. Whereas pasteurization is well recognized, high pressure treatment or even microwaves are perceived as risky very often.

The Food Processing and Packaging Technologies focuses on investigations of physical and microbial effects that processing and packaging steps have on the potential public health impact of foods in terms of food safety, quality and nutrition. Food Processing and Packaging Technologies research centers deals with pasteurization, extended shelf-life and sterilization. This session discusses various issues on food processing and packaging technologies which include validation of novel technologies for sterilization, pasteurization and decontamination of dried ingredients and minimal processing of fresh produce.

Agricultural biotechnology deals with agriculture involving the use of scientific tools and techniques which include genetic engineering, molecular markers, molecular diagnostics, vaccines, and tissue cultures to modify living organisms such as plants, animals, and microorganisms. Agriculture Biotechnology studies include traditional breeding, mutagenesis, polyploidy, protoplast fusion, RNA interference, transgenics, genome editing, improved nutritional content, agronomic traits, safety testing and government regulations. This session discusses various aspects in agriculture biotechnology.

Dairy products, milk products or lacticinia are a type of food produced from or containing the milk of mammals, primarily cattle, water buffaloes, goats, sheep, camels, and humans. Dairy products include food items such as yogurt, cheese, and butter. A facility that produces dairy products is known as a dairy or dairy factory. Butter, cheese, nonfat dry and skim powder utilize about 65 percent of the nation’s milk production across the world. U.S. dairy farmers are fortunate that increased demand for these products, both domestically and globally, continues to increase. Due to these products using a significant portion of the milk production, it has become an important to keep a close watch on their commercial use. The commercial use of butter, cheese and powder continue to grow. An examination of the numbers shows for butter and cheese, domestic use continues to advance but at slower rate compared to years past. The butter and cheese exports are consuming a larger share of total use. Exports are a major factor in commercial use of manufactured dairy products.

Tools, Techniques and Instrumentation in Food Science & Technology study some of the latest analytical techniques that are being used for research and characterization of food is examined. The study intends to provide an updated overview on the principal applications of such techniques together with their main advantages and drawbacks in food analysis. Some future developments of these systems and their foreseeable application in food characterization are also discussed. The reviewed techniques are those based on spectroscopic, biological, separation, and electrochemical procedures. New technologies and challenges in food analysis from multiple perspectives; a review of novel technologies being used in food analysis, an in-depth analysis of several specific approaches, and an examination of the most innovative applications and future trends. The latest developments in analytical and bio-analytical techniques, and the most innovative applications and issues in food analysis are studied.

Food microbiology is the study of the microorganisms that inhabit, create, or contaminate food including the study of microorganisms causing food spoilage, pathogens that may cause disease especially if food is improperly cooked or stored, those used to produce fermented foods such as cheese, yogurt, bread, beer, and wine, and those with other useful roles such as producing probiotics. Food safety is a major focus of food microbiology. Numerous agents of disease, pathogens are readily transmitted via food, including bacteria, and viruses. Microbial toxins are also possible contaminants of food. However, microorganisms and their products can also be used to combat these pathogenic microbes. Probiotic bacteria, including those that produce bacteriocins can kill and inhibit pathogens. Alternatively, purified bacteriocins such as nisin can be added directly to food products. Finally, bacteriophages, viruses that only infect bacteria, can be used to kill bacterial pathogens. Thorough preparation of food, including proper cooking, eliminates most bacteria and viruses.

Nutritional disorders include a wide spectrum of conditions, including generalized under-nutrition, over-nutrition leading to obesity, the eating disorders and diseases where nutrition has a role in the aetiology. Both under-nutrition and obesity are important public health problems. The treatment of under-nutrition is often complicated by factors such as war famine and infectious diseases. Obesity remains difficult to treat once present, although the advances in the understanding of the physiology of feeding discussed in this chapter are leading to new pharmacological and surgical interventions. Nutritional interventions in the treatment of diseases may involve the use of therapeutic diets, the administration of dietary supplements or the provision of nutritional support, either enteral or parenteral. Nutritional support is best delivered by a multidisciplinary team. Further research is required to establish the efficacy of most dietary supplements.

General subjects and achievement of modern vitaminology are discussed. The most impressive success in fundamental vitaminology during last three to four decades was achieved in following areas in elucidation of vitamins metabolic roles and molecular mechanisms in their action; development and improvement of high sensitive modern methods for analytical vitamins determination in biological objects and food; establishment of reliable criteria and methods for human vitamin status assessment; examination of physiological human vitamin requirements and establishment of elaboration of scientifically grounds for reasonable vitamins application in diseases prevention and treatment. In the area of applied vitaminology the most attention during last decades was paid to next subjects regular broad vitamin status examination of representative groups of population; reasoning, development, realization and evaluation of broad scale measures for prevention of vitamin insufficiency and improvement of vitamin status of population; development and industrial production of vitamins, multivitamin-mineral preparations and various vitamin enriched food stuffs for the same purpose.

Nutritional biochemistry is one of the academic foundations that make up nutritional sciences, a discipline that encompasses the knowledge of nutrients and other food components with emphasis on their range of function and influence on mammalian physiology, health, and behavior. Nutritional biochemistry is a sub-discipline that is made up of the core knowledge, concepts, and methodology related to the chemical properties of nutrients and other dietary constituents and to their biochemical, metabolic, physiological, and epigenetic functions. A primary focus of research in nutritional biochemistry is the scientific establishment of optimal dietary intakes for every nutrient and food component throughout the life cycle. Nutritional bio-chemistry is rooted in analytical methodology that permits the purification of individual nutrients and the determination of their structures, as well as in classical biochemical approaches that identify metabolic pathways and elucidate the role of dietary components in regulating metabolism and gene expression.

Food waste accounts for about 10 per cent of the total waste generated in Singapore, but only 16 per cent of the food waste is recycled. The rest of it is disposed of at the waste-to-energy plants for incineration. There is a need to manage food waste holistically. Reducing food wastage, redistributing unsold or excess food, and recycling/treating food waste are important components of our national waste management strategies to work towards Singapore becoming a Zero Waste Nation under the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint 2015. The diagram below shows Singapore’s food waste management strategies, with the most preferred approach at the top of the hierarchy. Besides the effort required collecting and disposing of it, food waste contaminates recyclables and compromises recycling efforts. It may also encourage odour nuisance issues and vermin proliferation if not managed properly.

Food preservation prevents the growth of microorganisms such as yeasts, or other microorganisms although some methods work by introducing benign bacteria or fungi to the food, as well as slowing the oxidation of fats that cause rancidity. Food preservation may also include processes that inhibit visual deterioration such as the enzymatic browning reaction in apples after they are cut during food preparation. Many processes designed to preserve food involve more than one food preservation method. Preserving fruit by turning it into jam involves boiling to reduce the fruit’s moisture content and to kill bacteria, etc., and sugaring to prevent their re-growth and sealing within an airtight jar to prevent recontamination. Some traditional methods of preserving food have been shown to have a lower energy input and carbon footprint, when compared to modern methods. Maintaining or creating nutritional value, texture and flavor is an important aspect of food preservation.

Quality and Food Safety have become competitive edge in the global market for food products. Food Safety and Quality has been helping businesses in the agriculture, processing, food equipments, and restaurants and retail industries to navigate the food safety and regulatory environment for more than 70 years. Our extensive suite of food safety and quality services spans every link from farm to fork including certification, testing, training, consulting, auditing and regulatory compliance. Use of food safety regulations For all round development of the food processing sector, various aspects of total quality management (TQM) such as quality control, quality system and quality assurance should operate in a horizontal fashion. Apart from this, in the interest of consumer safety and public health, there is a need to ensure that the quality food products manufactured and sold in the market meet the stringent parameters prescribed by the food safety regulator.

A modified food that claims to improve health or well-being by providing benefit beyond that of the traditional nutrients it contains. Functional foods may include such items as cereals, breads, beverages that are fortified with vitamins, some herbs, and nutraceuticals. A functional food is a food given an additional function often one related to health-promotion or disease prevention by adding new ingredients or more of existing ingredients. The term may also apply to traits purposely bred into existing edible plants, such as purple or gold potatoes having enriched anthocyanin or carotenoid contents, respectively. Functional foods may be designed to have physiological benefits and / or reduce the risk of chronic disease beyond basic nutritional functions, and may be similar in appearance to conventional food and consumed as part of a regular diet. The term was first used in Japan in the 1980s where there is a government approval process for functional foods called Foods for Specified Health Use (FOSHU).

Nutrition is the science that interprets the interaction of nutrients and other substances in food in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health and disease of an organism. It includes food intake, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism, and excretion. The diet of an organism is what it eats, which is largely determined by the availability and palatability of foods. For humans a healthy diet includes preparation of food and storage methods that preserve nutrients from oxidation, heat or leaching, and that reduce risk of foodborne illnesses. In humans, an unhealthy diet can cause deficiency-related diseases such as blindness, anemia, scurvy, preterm birth, stillbirth and cretinism, or nutrient excess health-threatening conditions such as obesity and metabolic syndrome; and such common chronic systemic diseases as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Under-nutrition can lead to wasting in acute cases, and the stunting of marasmus in chronic cases of malnutrition.

Innovation in the food processing combines technological innovation with social and cultural aspects. It occurs throughout the entire food system, including production, harvesting, primary and secondary processing, manufacturing and distribution. The ultimate innovation is a new or improved consumer product and service. Innovations can be focused in one area of food technology, for example process engineering, product formulation, food qualities or consumer needs; but ripples spread causing changes in other parts of the food system, in consumer eating patterns and in general social and cultural areas. Food industry innovation strategies need to be based on the total technology in the food system and concerned not only with the technological changes but also with the social and environmental changes, so as to produce food that satisfies the nutritional, personal and social needs and wants of all communities.

Food processing is the transformation of cooked ingredients, by physical or chemical means into food, or of food into other forms. Food processing combines raw food ingredients to produce marketable food products that can be easily prepared and served by the consumer. Food processing typically involves activities such as mincing and macerating, liquefaction, emulsification, and cooking such as boiling, broiling, frying, or grilling; pickling, pasteurization, and many other kinds of preservation; and canning or other packaging. Primary-processing such as dicing, slicing, freezing or drying when leading to secondary products are also included. Modern food processing also improves the quality of life for people with allergies, diabetics, and other people who cannot consume some common food elements. Food processing can also add extra nutrients such as vitamins.

Probiotics are now emerging as an important category of food supplement in the United States. Questions about the biologic nature, available products, claimed health benefits, and safety and regulation of probiotics are important for both consumers and nutrition professionals. Probiotics can be considered functional foods because they provide health benefits beyond the traditional nutrition function. With few exceptions, most probiotic products currently available contain lactic-acid-producing bacteria, which mainly belong to the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. An adequate level of viable bacteria in a probiotic product and an appropriate daily dose are critical to achieve a health benefit. Because probiotics are not known to be pathogenic and their upper tolerable level is high, they could be promoted as a beneficial food supplement.

Global Strategy on Nutrition deals with the non-communicable diseases considered the most important risks such as high blood pressure, high concentrations of cholesterol in the blood, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, overweight or obesity, physical inactivity and tobacco use. Unhealthy diets and physical inactivity are thus among the leading causes of the major non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer which contribute substantially to the global burden of disease, death and disability. Other diseases related to diet and physical inactivity such as dental caries and osteoporosis are widespread causes of morbidity. The burden of mortality, morbidity, and disability attribute to non-communicable diseases which are currently the greatest and continuing to grow in developing countries.

The truth about nutrition is always in flux. One day coffee is a carcinogen, the next it’s a potent antioxidant. Carbs used to be the devil, now the right kinds are the staple of a well-balanced diet. What’s healthy seems to change at regular pace. For instance, there was serious false hope when they said butter was said to be healthy. But another study quickly squashed that dream and confirmed that saturated fats have been and always will be bad for us. The research, published in The British Medical Journal found that a reduced intake of saturated fats can lower one’s risk of coronary heart disease, while swapping in unsaturated fats from vegetable-based oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, and seafood actually works to boost heart health. There were many such instances how truth about nutritional foods changed frequently.

Nutrition in Clinical Practice (NCP) deals with the scientific basis and clinical application of nutrition and nutrition support. Nutrition in Clinical Practice disseminates current research on clinical nutrition and nutrition support from a interdisciplinary viewpoint and bridge the gap between research and practice. It deals with various subfields such as medical education, nutrition in clinical practice, and preventive medicine. Nutrition in Clinical Practice delves into topics such as the effects of sugar; health effects of obesity and the obesity paradox; health effects of gluten and grains; nutritional therapy. The research and clinical practice of nutrition includes ancillary materials like clinically relevant formulas, nutrition data tables, and patient specific meal planners all fully updated.

The food packaging industry is vibrant and highly competitive, with food manufacturers always on the look-out for packaging that can provide consumers with increased convenience as well as longer shelf life at a lower cost than their existing packaging. The food industry is well aware that consumers want innovation and value novelty, and therefore the packaging industry must innovate or stagnate. Over the past few decades there have been significant changes in the relative proportions of the packaging materials glass, metal, paper and plastics used to pack food. Most noticeable has been the switch from glass and to a lesser extent metal to plastics with the majority of beverages nowadays packed in polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

The microbial microcosm of your gut directly connects to the health of your brain and your immune system. One way of maintaining microbial balance of your intestinal tract is by starting a broad spectrum probiotic supplement regimen ensuring the bad bacteria doesn’t affect you. Another equally important aspect of digestive health is providing essential digestive enzymes, which aid us in breaking down our food into easily absorbent nutrients. Plant-based digestive enzymes taken in conjunction with probiotics, help to heal the gut from the inside, allowing your body to take full advantage of the nutritious food you’re eating. These special digestive enzymes help break down food and even hard-to-process parts of ingredients such as proteins. But those are not the only ways of getting the enzymes that you need.

Food additives are chemicals that keep foods fresh or enhance their color, flavor or texture. A small percentage of people are sensitive to some food additives. Diagnosing sensitivity to food additives needs professional help, since all of the symptoms of sensitivity can also be caused by other disorders. Food additives are chemicals added to foods to keep them fresh or to enhance their color, flavor or texture. They may include food colorings such as tartrazine or cochineal, flavor enhancers such as MSG or a range of preservatives. Most food additives are listed on the product label, along with other ingredients, in a descending order by weight flavors are an exception and do not need to be identified. Sometimes, the additive is spelt out in full. At other times, it is represented by a code number cochineal may be listed as Coloring120; sodium sulphite may be shown as preservative.

Traditional processing methods drying, concentrating, heating cooking, baking, frying cooling, use of additives preservatives, acidification, fermentation. Improved traditional methods of processing include the application of increased temperatures sterilization, pasteurization, the application of low temperature cooling, freezing, aseptic packaging, controlled atmosphere, freeze-drying, microfiltration and membrane processes. One of the traditional methods of preserving process of fruits and vegetables is a thermal treatment, which involves the use of heat, the increased temperatures. Heat treatment is carried out by methods of sterilization, pasteurization and blanching, thus hermetically sealed packaging is used usually made of metal, glass or plastic. Fruits, vegetables and their products represent a significant segment of the human diet, as they create the preconditions of proper nutrition. From a global point of view fruits and vegetables are present in the human diet all over the world, but it is also interesting that the relatively large producers of fruits and vegetables are developing countries.

Traditional processing methods drying, concentrating, heating cooking, baking, frying cooling, use of additives preservatives, acidification, fermentation. Improved traditional methods of processing include the application of increased temperatures sterilization, pasteurization, the application of low temperature cooling, freezing, aseptic packaging, controlled atmosphere, freeze-drying, microfiltration and membrane processes. One of the traditional methods of preserving process of fruits and vegetables is a thermal treatment, which involves the use of heat, the increased temperatures. Heat treatment is carried out by methods of sterilization, pasteurization and blanching, thus hermetically sealed packaging is used usually made of metal, glass or plastic. Fruits, vegetables and their products represent a significant segment of the human diet, as they create the preconditions of proper nutrition. From a global point of view fruits and vegetables are present in the human diet all over the world, but it is also interesting that the relatively large producers of fruits and vegetables are developing countries.

Animal nutrition focuses on the dietary nutrients needs of animals, primarily those in agriculture and food production, but also in zoos, aquariums, and wildlife management.

The body requires many different vitamins and minerals that are crucial for both body development and preventing disease. A nutritional deficiency occurs when the body does not absorb or get from food the necessary amount of nutrition. Deficiencies can lead to a variety of health problems which include digestion problems, skin disorders, stunted or defective bone growth, and even dementia. The most widespread nutritional deficiency worldwide is iron deficiency. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia. This is a blood disorder that causes fatigue, weakness, and a variety of other symptoms. When you are iron-deficient, your body produces fewer red blood cells. The red blood cells it produces are smaller and paler than healthy blood cells. They are also less efficient at delivering oxygen to your tissues and organs. Iron is found in foods such as dark leafy greens, red meat, and egg yolks. It helps your body make red blood cells.