INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

(AGR222)




FOOD, NUTRITION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT


COURSE OUTLINE


• Value of food in human nutrition
• Define food science and food technology, food preservation
and food processing
• Role of Agricultural and food technology in Food self-reliance
• Nature of food resources in Nigeria
• Principle of food preservation by physical, biological and
chemical methods
• Principles of food storage and processing
• Principles of food resource development
The value of foods in Human Development
• World food situation/ problem
• Hunger and malnutrition are unacceptable in a world that has
both the knowledge and the resources to end this human
catrostrophe.

• That globally, there is enough food for all and that inequitable
access is the main problem

• Everyone has a right to an acceptable standard of living,

including food, as contained in the universal decelerating human
right.
• Inspite of the above declaration over 780 million people in
developing countries.

• 20% of their combining population – still do not have access to

enough food to meet their basic daily needs for nutritional well
– being.

• Particularly depressing is the high prevalence of and

increasing numbers of malnourished children under five years
of age in parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
• More than 2000 billion people, mostly women and children are
deficient in one or more micronutrients; babies continues to be
born blind and mentally retarded as a result of iodine
deficiency.

• Children go blind and die of Vitamin A deficiency and

enormous numbers of women and children are adversely
affected by iron deficiency.
• Hundreds of millions of people also suffer from
communicable and non – communicable diseases
caused by contaminated food and water.

• Chronic non – communicable disease related to

excessive or unbalanced dietary intakes often lead to
preventive deaths in both developed and developing
countries.
The Scale of the Problem
Protein – energy malnutrition (PEM).
• Vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) and
nutritional anaemia
• – mainly resulting from deficiency are the most common
serious nutritional problems in almost all countries of Asia,
Africa, Latin America and the near East.

• Current data on the prevalence of hunger and malnutrition as

provided by the FAO and WHO suggest that one of every five
persons in the developing word is chronically under nourished.
• Over 192 million children suffer from PEM and over 2000
million experience micronutrient deficiencies.

• In addition, diet related to non- communicable diseases such

as obesity, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and some
form of cancer exist, or are emerging as public health
problems in many developing countries.

• However many countries have made good progress in

reducing the issues of hunger and malnutrition.
• FAO and WHO data indicate improvement of the nutritional
situation in Asia and Latin America from 1980 to 1990 but a
derivation in sub – Sahara Africa.

• While the prevalence of underweight children in sub- Saharan

Africa remained unchanged (29 – 30%) the prevalence rates are
much better than in South Asia, where about 59% of children
were under weight for the same period.

• Over 101 million children were underweight in South East Asia

as compared to 19.9 million in sub – Saharan Africa.
• One of the most dramatic aspects of the global nutrition
situation is the extent of famine, hunger and starvation.

• Their occurrence is commonly attributed to drought and other

natural disasters, such as war, civil unrest and political
instability have far greater importance.
Nutrition improvement: Nature and Evolution

• The causes underlying most nutrient problem include: poverty,

ignorance and disease coupled with inadequate food supplies,
unhealthy environments, social stress and discrimination.

• In the 1950s and 1960s, Kwashikor and protein deficiencies

were seen as the major problem.
• Quick fixes such as fish protein concentrate, single cell protein
or amino acid ________ and increased production of protein –
rich foods of animal origin were the strategies purposed in the
control of malnutrition in the tropical and sub- tropical
countries.

• In the late 1960 and 1970s, the term “protein – energy

malnutrition” entered the literature.

• Increasing protein and energy intake by children was the

solution and applied nutrition programme (ANPs) were offered
has sure strategies
• The 1974 world food conference began a decade of macro
analysis which placed ____ nutrition planning and then
nutritional surveillance among the dominant strategies in the
countries most affected.

• Economist began to take from nutritionist and paediatricians

as the ______ of new policies, with much talk about national
food security and with the world bank stressing income
generation activities.

• In 1985 the IMF began to push structural adjustment, and WHO

and UNICEF reinverated the ANPs which they rancid joint
nutrition support programme (JNSPs).
• In the early 1990s, the subject of micronutrient pushed PEM to
the background as nutritionist, international agencies and
universities ____________ to control Vitamin A deficiency,
Anaemia and IDD. The micronutrient wave has not yet
___________.

• The current goal in the virtual elimination of Vitamin A

deficiency and IDD before the turn of the century, which has
unfortunately been impossible. While the quick ______
addresses the ______.

• The immediate causes of a problem ____ does not provide in

long term sustainability of the eradication of malnutrition.
Further Causes of Hunger and Solution.


• In appropriate development strategies or many countries.

• Polices reforms and institution of appropriate development

and macroeconomic policies are advocated in order to improve
nutrition.

• Developing countries must walk to ensure that development

polices and projects are designed to include nutrition
improvement objectives
• For low – income food deficit countries, economic growth and
poverty alleviation must be based on better development of
agricultural resources and improvement of food supplies.

• This approach should promote sustainable development,

expand employment opportunities and improve access to food
by the poor.

• Free and fair – trade is important in stimulating economic

growth and prices of primary and processed agricultural
products must be adequate to ensure sustained development.
• Primary producers must receive fair prices for their products,
labour and use of resources.

• Their need for local participation in development decisions

and programmes.

• Malnutrition is not just a food problem alone; and that

consideration must be given to food, health, education and
care in order to eliminate hunger and malnutrition.

• This is the new thinking and a proper approach to human

development.
Causes of malnutrition
• Malnutrition or undesirable – physical or disease condition
related to nutrition can be caused by eating too little, too much
or an unbalanced diet – that does not contain all nutrients
necessary for nutritional status.

• The term malnutrition is restricted to under nutrition or lack of

adequate energy, protein and micronutrients to meet basic
requirements for body maintenance, growth and development.

• An essential prerequisite to the prevention of malnutrition in a

community is the availability of enough food to provide for the
nutrients needs of all people.
• For adequate food to be available certainly there must be adequate food
production or sufficient funds at the national, local or family level to
purchase enough food.

• Availability of food however, is just part of the picture.

• It is now recognized that malnutrition is only the overt sign or symptoms

of much deeper problems in society.
• Inadequate dietary intake and disease, particular infection are
immediate causes of malnutrition.

• Each person must eat an adequate amount of good quality and

safe food throughout the year to meet all nutritional needs for
body maintenance work and recreation for growth and
development in children
• Similarly one must be able to digest, absorb and utilize the
food and nutrients effectively.

• Poor diets and disease are often the result of insufficient

house – hold food security. Inappropriate care and feeding
practices and inadequate health care.

• ____ now understood that good nutrition defined an adequate

levels of all three of these factors
• Malnutrition may manifest itself as a health problem and
health professionals can provide same answers, but they alone
cannot solve the problems of malnutrition.

• Agriculturists, and often agricultural professionals, are

required to ensure that enough foods, and the right kinds of
foods are produced.

• Education both formal and non – formal are required to assist

people particularly women in achieving and ensuring good
nutrition.

• Tackling malnutrition often requires the contribution of

professionals in economic, social development, politics,
government and labour movements and many other spheres.
 DEVELOPMENT IN FOOD PROCESSING/ PRESERVATION

• The history of man is one of a nearly constant struggle for food.

• Lack of food is due to the failure of agriculture to produce food,

food processor to process food rapidly and without loss or of
society to transport from region of surplus to regions of deficient.

• The failure to produce has usually been due to unfavorable climatic

conditions: - drought, excessive rainfall, frost, winter, etc;

• Remember the Biblical Joseph story of the 7 rich years and 7 lean
years and the storage of food by Egypt
DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL FOOD PROCESSING
INDUSTRY
• The spread of written knowledge – old and new methods of
food production and processing

• Essential aspects of food production were known before the

onset of Christianity.

• Commercial food production began in the middle ages (15000

BC – Mesolithic age).
• This trend has continued till today with less and less of home
food preparation.

• The development of mechanized large scale food production

has accelerated this trend of industrial food processing.

• Industrial revolution significantly contributed to the

development of power sources, which have been gradually
applied to food processing.
• The milk and cheese industry remain a cottage or semi – cottage
industry until the 19th century.

• Since then cream separations, refrigeration, pure bacterial cultures

and a variety of mechanical equipment have enabled the industry to
become completely industrialized in the USA and other western
nations.

• Beer production ceased to be a cottage industry in the 18th century.

• Gradually the breweries, became larger, the equipment more

mechanized and finally in the 1960s, continuous on – line
commercial production of beer was accomplished.
IMPACT OF WAR ON FOOD PROCESSING


• The French Revolution and the French government offered the
12000 Franc condition, Napoleonic wars stimulated research.

• Nicolas Appert, a cook successfully preserved various food in

sealed jars heated in boiling water as early as 1795; he was
awarded the prize in 1810.

• In the US, the civil war greatly expanded the canning industry –
six fold.
• The British blockage during the Napoleonic wars cut France off
from her normal West Indies sugar supply.

• Napoleon forced French botanists to improve sugar content of

beets as a source of sugar.

• They were so successful that Europe eventually became nearly

independently of the West Indies for sugar.

• The World War II greatly increased and improve the production

of dehydrated food. Fruits, vegetable, meats etc.
IMPACT OF INVENTION AND SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY

• The impact of the industrial revolution in food production was

spectacular.

• Before 1700 most Agricultural work was done by hand or with

the help of animals

• The seed drill was invented in 1700 and primitive threshing

machines were made as early as 1780.
• McCormick’s harvester appeared in 1834. This piece of
equipment revolutionized grain production in the U.S.A.

• The combined threshing and cleaning machine dates from

1848. The development of steam engine made these self –
propelled and more efficient.

• The milling of flour also changed. Rolla mills were used in

Hungary in 1840.
• Mechanical sieving of flour was introduced as early as 1500 but
power driven roller mills and cylindrical bolters did not follow until
much later.

• Machines for mixing, preparing the dough, rolling the dough, and
kneading were developed in the 19th century.

• The Perteins steam heated ovens replaced the older coal or coke –
heated ovens.

• This permitted closer control of time and temperature of baking.

The introduction of pure yeast cultures gave increased control of
bread quality.
• The cracker industry underwent similar changes. Machines for
mixing, preparing the dough, rolling the dough to the proper
thickness, cutting it to proper shapes and sizes were invented.

• By rigid control of the raw materials and the time and temperature
of baking, a wide variety of crackers of uniform flavor could be
produced throughout the years.
• Others. The herring industry was practically industrialized as
early as the 12th century by the Dutch.
• They set up quality standards and were very successful in
smoking fish on a large scale.
• It was not until the 19th century that fans and heaters were
introduced.
• The “iron chunk”, machine was developed for the Salmon
caning industry in 1903, it cuts off the head and tail; split the
fish open, cleaned and put in hot water.
• It automatically adjusted its operation to the size of the salmon!

• Of course, refrigeration further changed the fishing industry to

permit fishing in more distant waters.

• The use of ice to transport fresh fish started in Great Britain in

1786.

• Sugar from cane sugar was produced in the Near East and
Egypt in the late middle ages. Large scale production
developed in the West Indies in the 17th and 18th century.
 IMPACT OF MODERN SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING
DEVELOPMENT

• Scientific revolution had profound effects on food processing.

Napoleon III offered a price for substitute for butter in 1869.

• Fat h y d r o g e n at i o n was p ate n te d i n 1 9 0 2 an d was

commercialized for use in Great Britain in 1909.

• Hydrogenated fat rapidly displaced lard for cooking.

• Pure cultures for beer production were introduced in the late

19th century and which led to better and more uniform beers.
• Laval’s centrifuged cream separation was introduced in 1897,
and which saved space and labour in separating cream from
milk.

• The Babcock butter fat test provided a sound basin for payment
and helped standardize the fat content of milk.

• Cheese production, with close temperature control, use of pure

bacteria cultures and rennet greatly improved quality.
• Evaporated milk process was patented in 1835 and Gail Borden
improved the process with vacuum process in 1853.

• Sweetened condensed milk was patented in 1860.

• Unsweetened concentrated milk heat sterilized in cans became

popular .

• A process for drying milk was patented in Great Britain in 1835

but a high quality product was not developed until a century
after.
• World War II greatly improved dehydrated food. Freeze drying
process produced meats which are easily stored and quickly
reconstituted.

• Potato dehydration was greatly improved

• The commercial development of Apperts canning process was

one of the important scientific developments of the food
industry.
• Successful canning was carried out in Britain in 1812.
Commercial canning began in the U.S.A in 1815 in Boston and
in 1819 in New York.

• Today, the latest developments in sciences and engineering

soon find application in food processing.

• The development is continuous. How can we in Nigeria use S

and T to impact on our food supply?
The importance of food


• Food is a basic necessity of life and therefore contributes an
important element of health management.

• Food when increased in volume and quality has _____________

led to more people. It can often be the determining factor in the
growth and survival of nations.

• Adequate food supplies enhances the growth and development

of resistance to disease.
• There are 5 types of nutrients required by man for healthy
living; carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins.
• Low food intake results in malnutrition which in turn
predisposes to infection diseases by lowering resistance.

• The infection is usually more severe in the malnourished

person.

• It should also be noted that infection in turn increases the food

nutrient demand to repair the damage done by infections.

• Malnutrition begins a viscous circle which can only be broken

by the provision of an adequate diet.
The Nigeria Situation


• There is a clear evidence of food shortages resulting in high
food prices.

• Low average per caput food intake and the cause of adequate
nutrition information as well as the poor utilization of existing
food _______

• Preliminary evidence on the nutritional status of Nigerian

points to an acute high levels of protein – energy malnutrition
(PEM) in many parts of the country.
• Reports on the growth of Nigerian children under five years of
age show that 38 – 48% are stunted (growth failure), 9 – 23 are
under weight (infants weighing less than 2.5kg at birth) and
about 30% are wasted (the population of children less than two
standard deviation below the reference value of weight for
height).

• The occurrence of nutritional deficiencies differ with

geographical locations (higher in the north than in the south)
income group and socio – economic activities.
• There is also evidence of occupational, cultural and locational
differences in the levels of nutritional deprivation in Nigeria.

• Therefore eliminating hunger, malnutrition and micro- nutrient

deficiencies is a most pressing priority and which the tools of
FST have been effectively employed elsewhere.
The role of Food science and Technology

• The contrast in life styles between the rich and the poor
nations (Nigeria) is particularly evident in the relative quality of
their diets to which food sciences technology has contributed
so much for the rich and so little in the poorer nations of the
world (Hulse, 1982).

• Since the dawn of history, man has had great struggle to

preserve enough food to exist from one growing season to the
next.

• He had to compete for his food with the living beings – from
the Elephant, deer, and Kangoroo, to innumerable rodents,
insects and to countless bacteria, yeasts and moulds.
• Some foods spoil readily, others keep longer but in limited periods.

• Some food products may be stored indefinitely at ordinary

temperatures with no apparent spoilage.

• The seven meagre years as compared to the seven rich years,

that the book of Genesis depicts in the old Egyptian civilization
draws attention to the fact that food preservation early in history
became an indispensible basin for the survival of nations.
Food Science and food technology:


• Food science and technology as an emerging discipline has been very
slow to develop in Nigeria.

• The discovery and utilization of the scientific principles in food science

technology,

in the preparation, packaging and distribution of processed foods have

provided a supply of abundant, safe, wholesome and nutrition food
unknown before in history.

• The application of FST in many developing countries has provided

significant changes in the standard of living, increased health condition
and improved the national economy as shown by these examples;
• It leads to the development of agro-industry which thus
decrease food imports; increase food availability and increase
the value added to raw materials as a result of processing etc.

• FST reduces low income among the populations if it is

efficiently used as a tool to introduced locally processed foods
and to develop local food processing industry
• FST can effectively decrease unemployment;

• it is appropriately applied to develop agro- processing

industries which in turn create / local employment and tools
for transforming the standard of living of the people.

• FST has been used in many developing countries to reduce the

levels of malnutrition in the following ways:

• Through FST research high – nutritive value foods such in

vegetable proteins, fish protein concentrate and single ____
proteins have been developed and accepted and which have
eliminated protein – calorie – malnutrition (PCM or PEM).
• FST has also been used to develop food composition tables
which now enable many developing countries to formulate new
foods from local resources to solve the problem of poor
nutrition status of their people including low nutrient intake.

• FST has also been applied in many developing countries to

reduce iodine deficiency by addition of potassium iodate to
table salt); eliminate Vitamin A deficiency by developing
Vitamin A stable foods (e.g. fortified sugar, bakery products
and partially hydrolyzed food products fortified with Vitamin A).
In summary therefore, the problem that have stimulated the
development of food science and technology directed to;

• The need to reduce the incidence of malnutrition

• Need to increase the quality and quantity of foods
• To improve post-harvest food handling and technology
• To solve word food problem and
• To develop the capacity to process agro- industrial crops for value
added.

• Given the right condition, FST can make the difference for Nigeria in
the attainment of acceptable develop food security.
Definition

• The original food technologist were the nameless discoverers,

inventors and improvers of cheese making, beer, brewing, sun –
drying of foods, garri and akpu fermentation and processing etc.

• Later food science and technology evolved first out of chemistry,

then out of microbiology and medicine.

• Still later, biochemistry, nutrition, toxicology, mathematics,

physics, engineering, physiology, law and economic have shaped
into a peculiar amalgam of science.
• Food science is thus defined as that professional discipline
concern with the application of science (chemistry, physics,
biochemistry and microbiology) and engineering to the study
and utilization of food.

• Food technology in the other hand, is essentially concerned

with the application of food science, engineering, material
science, economics and management science in the
transformation of agricultural products into abundant, durable,
safe, nutrition and palatable food.
• As a result of work done in food science and technology,
people in the developed countries are protected from food
contamination, have access to a great variety of foods year
round, do not need a lot time preparing their food and often
spend less that 1/ 4 of their disposable income feeding
themselves.

• Food science and technology as a discipline will therefore be

indispensable in the survival of Nigerian agriculture, economic
self-reliance as well as the proper nourishment and
maintenance of health.