Food Technology

Hand held, mechanical and electrical equipment are used in the development of prototypes in a test kitchen which ensures the consistently high quality product each time. These pieces of equipment save time, energy, ease the making process & ensure uniformity of results. All the equipment must be used hygienically.

Processes carried out by electrical equipment may also be carried out by hand held equipment. i.e. Grating cheese using a grater. A food processor can carry out the same task in less time and produces identical results each time.

Hygienically: to prepare food in a clean way to stop food spoilage or poisoning occurring.

Electronic scales: Measure accurately to 0.1g which is vital in food production. As products are being developed, small changes to the prototype ingredients may need to be made to get the required flavour, texture and consistency. Flavourings e.g. Chilli powder for a curry may need adapting to get correct ‘spiciness’.

Food processors: Have a range of attachments enabling them to perform different tasks i.e. Grate, slice, grind, shred, dice, purée, mix, knead and whisk. The tasks can be timed to ensure a consistency in the products produced. The attachments for grating, slicing etc.. Produce a consistent sized product each time i.e. Size of grated carrot pieces.

Mixers: Have a range of attachments  for different mixing processes i.e. Whisking, mixing, kneading. These enable different consistencies and textures to be achieved in the food products. Speed and length of mixing can also be controlled, ensuring a consistent final product i.e. Egg whites for a meringue.

Liquidisers and hand held blenders: Have a very specific to carry out; making solid ingredients into a liquid. Different lengths of processing time varies the texture and consistency of the food products i.e. Puréed fruit for a smoothie.

Bread makers and ice cream makers: Have a very specific process to carry out & only involved in production of one type of food product. Once the sequence of making has been programmed into the maker, the machine completes the task resulting in a finished product. 

How to ensure a consistent product each time

1.The same process is carried out over and over again. 2.The speed of the process can be altered. 3.The timing of each process is exact. 4.The length of time the process is carried out can be altered. 5.The attachments can be changed to get a different result altogether.

Tunnel ovens: Used in production of small identical items i.e. Biscuits. Involves a conveyor belt passing through the a heated tunnel to cook the food product. Amount of time it takes to pass through oven = length of cooking time the food needs.

Depositors: Huge tubes that fill containers, i.e. Pastry cases, they measure the exact amount in the container each time i.e. Cake mixture in to a pastry case for a bakewell tart.

Mandolin: Used to slice and cut food evenly each time.

food spoilage

Food products can’t be stored for a long time without changes taking place. The changes that often…