Minimal processing: fundamentals and applications

ALZAMORA, STELLA MARIS; SALVATORI, DANIELA M.

Handbook of Food Science, Technology and Engineering.

CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Books

Lugar: Boca Raton; Año: 2006; p. 1 - 16

  Consumer’s wants, needs and desires have driven the greatest advances and the most significant changes in food processing in the last two decades. Consumers are increasingly aware of the health benefits and risks associated with consumption of food. At a time when they are requiring less extreme treatments (less heat and chill damage), with lower levels of salts, fats, acids and  sugars and/or the complete or the partial removal of chemically synthesized additives, there is also an increased demand for convenience foods with fresh attributes and long shelf-lives.   Food trends towards fresh image on one side and convenience on the other side often conflict. In most cases the fresh quality is negatively affected by the processing procedure. The most crucial current and future challenge is to retain the natural functional properties and the sensory and nutritional quality with the appropriate shelf-life and safety.   To meet these expectations, the food industry and the researchers have developed in the last years a range of strategies and minimal processing (MP) techniques for food preservation that allow better retention of product flavour, texture, colour and nutrient content than comparable conventional treatments. MP concept includes a series of products and processes that may be grouped in diverse food categories such as: minimally processed, with invisible processing, carefully processed, partially processed, and high moisture shelf-stable (2). These terms are not exactly equivalent but reflect the great diversity of alternatives for high quality products.   In this chapter, the fundamentals of the main minimal techniques (already used industrially or still in development or testing) are considered, a number of recent achievements are highlighted and some safety and quality considerations for a successful design of minimally processed products are presented.