Food Process

Purpose

Food Use Examples

Used at Home

Benefits

Drawbacks

Mixing & Blending

Combining multiple food components/ingredients into a composite for direct use or further processing

Spice blends, bakery products & pasta dough, chocolate, processed cheeses and meats, juice blends, and nut mixes

Yes

Create various food and beverage options by using unique combinations of food/ingredients (product formulation)

None

Enzymatic Processing & Enzymatic Fermentation

Using enzymes to modify the molecular structure of food product

Corn syrup, corn starch, dairy products such as cheese, meat sausages, and fruit juice

No

Targeted modification of food components e.g., converts insoluble fiber to soluble

Potential modification or loss of some nutrients due to enzyme activity

Extrusion, Pressing

Shaping a food material into a strand, tube or other shape for further processing

Pasta, noodles, corn chips, and ready-to-eat cereals, and baked goods (e.g., cookies)

Yes

Easy to use and consume (e.g., easy to rehydrate extruded products such as pasta and noodles); create novel forms and shapes

Could lead to higher intake of extruded products because it is easy to consume; impacts carbohydrate digestion, as complex, slowly digestible carbohydrates are converted to easily digestible carbohydrates

Whipping & Creaming

Mechanically incorporating gas (usually air) into a liquid or semi-solid food to create a foamy texture

Mayonnaise and salad dressings, frozen toppings, frosting, spreads, marshmallows, and baked goods

Yes

Enables creation of unique textures; increases smoothness of food products and mouthfeel

None

Forming, Shaping, Molding

Transforming a liquid or semi-solid food into specific shapes, usually two or three dimensional

Chocolate bars, candies, cereals, and baked goods (e.g., cakes, muffins, and breads)

Yes

Visually appealing and joyful due to the various shapes and forms (e.g., animal shaped crackers)

Could lead to overconsumption of foods that are visually appealing – form and shape (e.g., animal shaped crackers). These products are typically high in sugars, fats, and/or carbohydrates

Filling & Packaging

Placing a food product or ingredient into a package and sealing the package to prevent contamination of the food or ingredient

Most packaged food products

Yes

Food safety throughout the shelf-life of a product

Sometimes difficult to open or close the package (e.g., cap twisted on too tightly); improper sealing could lead to spoilage or contamination

Bulk Storage (Dry, Refrigerated, Frozen, Liquid)

Storing a food in a large vessel (permanent or movable) under specific conditions for further use

Virtually all food ingredients and products

Yes

Maintains food supply chain

Could cause degradation of some nutrients, flavor, texture, or appearance, due to prolonged storage of food products or food ingredients

Washing & Cleaning

Removing foreign material like dirt, insects, or microbes from the surface of a food product, package or processing equipment with liquid (water), chemicals, or air

Fruits, vegetables, and salad mixes, food packages; and dishwashing & equipment sanitation

Yes

Food safety and quality

Potential for residual cleaning chemicals to remain on the food and equipment surfaces