Question

LAB FOOD DRING

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:

Q1. What value is the moisture content versus time and moisture ratio versus time graphs to the foodprocessor? What is the added benefit of the moisture ratio plot?

Q2. What effect does drying have on foods in terms of quality?

Q3. Why does Inovatech produce egg products in both a frozen and dried state?

Q4. Why is lipoxygenase being considered as the appropriate enzyme as an indicator of blanching?

Q5. In the manufacture of beef jerky, raw meat is used as the main ingredient. Should we have concerns regarding microbiological quality since only a temperature of 65C is used in dehydration?

Answer 1

Ans1) When we talk about moisture content, it is basically the total quantity of water present in food material or any other stuff. The content of moisture is a good measure of estimating if the food is appropriate for consumption or not as it helps in physiological process as well as helps in determining its susceptibility to micro-organisms. The moisture content graph helps in determining the amount of moisture present in the food processor and when we compare it with time and moisture ratio, it helps in determining the impact of moisture in food based on time where content of the moisture increases or decreases based on the time on application of temperature. The time graph helps in estimating the total time needed for moisture content to increase or decrease. The benefit of moisture plot graph is that it helps in estimating how much moisture is present at a given time.

Ans 2) when the food is dried, it is dehydrated by removal of water and this helps in preserving or storing the food for a long time. However, drying of the food protects it from micro-organism and contamination but somehow reduces its quality by reducing its nutritional content or value. The concentration of vitamins or other nutrition reduces in dried food as compared to the normal food. The taste also changes due to release of the free water.

Ans 3) Inovatech is a US based company which is known for producing the egg products both in dried and frozen state because these egg products have an extended shelf life and can be purchased as dried or in frozen state which can be used as ingredients for many food. The shelf life increases and hence it can be preserved for long term. The dried egg product can be purchased as egg white and hence it is a good source of protein.