Brown: Chilled Foods: A Comprehensive Guide 3rd Edition

• 1 Introduction to chilled foods

Part I Raw materials and products

• 2 Raw material selection: fruit, vegetables and cereals
• 3 Raw material selection: dairy ingredients
• 4 Raw material selection: meat and poultry
• 5 Raw material selection: fish
• 6 Non-microbiological factors affecting quality and safety
• 7 Chilled foods packaging: an introduction
• 8 Modified atmosphere and active packaging of chilled foods

Part II Technologies and processes in the supply chain

• 9 Microbiological hazards and safe design
• 10 Non-microbiological hazards and safe process design
• 11 The hygienic design of chilled food plants and equipment
• 12 Cleaning and disinfection of chilled food plants and equipment
• 13 Operation of plants manufacturing chilled foods
• 14 Refrigeration, storage and transport of chilled foods
• 15 Temperature monitoring and measurement

Part III Microbiological hazards

• 16 Chilled foods microbiology
• 17 Predicting the behaviour of micro-organisms in chilled foods
• 18 Conventional and rapid analytical microbiology

Part IV Safety and quality management

• 19 Shelf-life of chilled foods
• 20 Sensory quality and consumer acceptability
• 21 Management of product quality and safety
• 22 Legislation and criteria

Chilled foods include a very wide range of ingredients, processed using a variety of technologies operating under tight control in areas with high hygiene standards. Since the second edition of this book, there have been changes in the industry and in consumer demands; major changes have also affected the sourcing of raw materials and there has been consolidation of manufacturing and retailing. The range of chilled foods connects with all types of consumer, taking account of different demands for convenience, greater authenticity and healthiness, but foods are still either ready-to-eat or require cooking, and all require chilled storage for safety and stability. The key requirements are still good quality and microbiological safety at the point of consumption. Because of the diversity of materials, products and consumers, and rapid rates of innovation, a simplistic approach to product design and manufacture cannot be used: the whole range of modern techniques and knowledge is needed to come up with good products at competitive prices. This book presents current approaches and a range of knowledge on chilled food design and production, with an emphasis on the microbiological aspects.

For chilled foods, the microbiological emphasis is usually on safety, application of the scientific principles of preservation and cautious use of safety factors, which has given the industry a good record in this area. Hygienic facilities and a reliable chill chain, although expensive to run, have remained essentials for the chilled food industry. Economies have been sought by sourcing materials globally and this has introduced new risks in familiar materials. Against this background, the importance of using formal, thorough techniques for identifying safety needs, changes in risk and appropriate controls has increased. However, the shelf-life of many products is still limited by microbiological spoilage and in the eyes of consumers there is little difference between safety and quality defects; both are still unacceptable.

Spoilage may show as different signs in different raw materials and products - noticeable as changes in smell, taste, colour-loss or texture breakdown caused by either the action of micro-organisms or mechanisms natural in the materials. As environmental pressure mounts for increased shelf-life to reduce the energy burden of frequent deliveries and product wastage, so the prevention of spoilage begins to rank with safety. This pressure is likely to create a demand for spoilage modelling techniques, similar to those already existing for microbiological pathogens, and their use will lead to controls, preservation strategies and management techniques with a wider set of objectives, including the prevention or delay of spoilage.

As the diversity of designs and controls for chilled food increases and there are developments in processing and packaging technology, so the need for informed management and regulation increases. In Europe, changes in the food hygiene and microbiological criteria legislation have gone some way towards clarifying and harmonizing principles for product safety. The move from measurement of product quality by testing, to its assurance by validated designs controlled by online or by-line parameter measurements, demands a new approach to quality assurance systems and the approval or rejection of products. This change has to come from improved skills and training, not only in the private sector but also in the public service area, and also a need to accept that microbiological information systems can provide universally accepted bases for judging product safety.

Book Details

• Hardcover: 500 pages
• Publisher: CRC Press; 3 edition (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1420087754
• ISBN-13: 978-1420087758
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches

List Price: $299.95 

Tags: Food Processing