Food Processing I

General

Course Contents

  • Heat treatment of food
    Definitions, methods of measuring the thermal resistance of microorganisms, survival curve- parameter D, curve of thermal destruction times-parameters F and z, factors affecting the thermal resistance of microorganisms, factors affecting the speed of heat penetration into food, ways of heat penetration, spoilage enzymes, classification of foods in relation to pH, spoilage microorganisms, heat treatment applied to the food industry, destruction of microorganisms at constant and variable temperature, killing rate at constant and variable temperature, heating and cooling curves, heat treatment calculation methods, devices heat treatment, aseptic packaging, effect of heat treatment on food.
  • Microwave food processing
    Generalities, factors affecting microwave heating speed, microwave applications, advantages and disadvantages of microwave application.
  • Food irradiation processing
    Generalities, irradiation actions, effects of irradiation on food, methods of limiting unwanted effects, applications of irradiation, packaging of irradiated foods.
  • Cold production
    Generalities, cold production by liquid venting, mechanical compression refrigerating machines, calculation of mechanical vapor compression refrigerating machine.
  • Preservation of food at low temperatures
    Effect of low temperatures on microorganisms and enzymes, cooling and freezing method, food preservation conditions during cooling and freezing, changes in food during cooling and freezing preservation.
  • Cooling load calculation
    Definitions, cooling load analysis, total cooling load and cooling capacity, cooling load calculation examples.
  • Mechanism of freezing
    Freezing curve, freezing speed and ice crystal formation in food, calculation of initial freezing point, calculation of percentage of non-crystallizable water, calculation of freezing time.
  • Water activity and food preservation
    Definitions, sorption isotherms, importance of sorption isotherms in food technology, factors that reduce water activity, microbial growth and food spoilage in relation to water activity, intermediate moisture foods.

Titles of Laboratory Exercises:

  • Static sterilizer.
  • Rotary sterilizer.
  • Microwaves.
  • Freezing.

Educational Goals

The course aims to achieve the following learning outcomes for students:

  • Understanding the principles and methods of food processing and preservation.
  • Application of the theory in the food industry in the form of computational exercises.

General Skills

  • Search, analysis and synthesis of data and information, using the necessary technologies.
  • Decision making.
  • Autonomous work.
  • Teamwork.
  • Work in an international environment.
  • Work in an interdisciplinary environment.
  • Promotion of free, creative and inductive thinking.

Teaching Methods

Face to face:

  • Lectures (theory and exercises) in the auditorium.
  • Laboratory exercises in groups in the Industrial Laboratory.

Use of ICT means

  • Lectures with PowerPoint slides using PC and projector.
  • Notes in electronic format.
  • Post course material and communicate with students on the Moodle online platform.

Teaching Organization

ActivitySemester workload
Lectures25
Laboratory Exercises25
Independent Study75
Total125

Students Evaluation

Evaluation methods:

  • Compulsory attendance at (at least) 80% of the laboratory exercises.
  • Written final exams in the theoretical part of the course with essay development and problem solving questions.
  • Final written exams in the laboratory part of the course with short development and problem solving questions.
  • Optional written assignments in the laboratory exercises (20% of the grade of the laboratory part of the course if submitted).

The evaluation criteria are presented and analyzed to the students at the beginning of the semester.

Recommended Bibliography

  1. Μπλούκας Ι.Γ., Επεξεργασία και Συντήρηση Τροφίμων, Εκδόσεις Σταμούλη, Αθήνα, 2004.
  2. Λάζος Σ. Ε & Λάζου Ε. Α. (2017). Επεξεργασία Τροφίμων 1 ‒ Διεργασίες Συντηρήσεως με Θέρμανση, Χαμηλές Θερμοκρασίες & Ακτινοβολούμενη Ενέργεια. Βˊ Έκδοση, Εκδόσεις Παπαζήση, Αθήνα.
  3. Ρόδης Π.Σ., Μέθοδοι Συντήρησης Τροφίμων, Εκδόσεις Σταμούλη, Αθήνα, 1995.
  4. Decareau R.V., Microwave Foods: New Product Development, Food & Nutrition Press Inc., Trumbull, Connecticut, 1992.
  5. Fellows P.J., Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice, Third Edition, Woodhead Publishing Limited and CRC Press LLC, Cambridge, Boca Raton, 2009.
  6. Reuter H., Aseptic Packaging of Food. Technomic Inc., Lancaster, 1988.
  7. Singh R.P., Heldman D.R., Introduction to Food Engineering, Fifth Edition, Elsevier-Academic Press, Amsterdam, 2014.
  8. Thorne S., Food Irradiation, Elsevier Applied Science, London, 1991.

Related Research Journals

  1. Journal of Food Engineering.