Food engineering is a scientific, academic, and professional area that understands and applies engineering, science, and math principles to the creation, handling, storage, conservation, control, packaging, and distribution of food products. Due to its reliance on food science and more general engineering disciplines including electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical, industrial, and agricultural engineering, food engineering is recognized as a broad and specialized field.
Due to the complexity of food components, food engineering also incorporates the study of more specific chemical and physical subjects like biochemistry, microbiology, food chemistry, thermodynamics, transport phenomena, rheology, and heat transfer. Food engineers use this knowledge in the development of food systems, equipment, and machinery as well as in the cost-effective design, manufacture, and marketing of sustainable, secure, nourishing, healthful, enticing, affordable, and high-quality ingredients and foods.
History of Food Engineering
Food engineering is a relatively new and developing subject of study, although it is built on ideas and practices that have been around for a long time. Food stabilization and sterilization, spoiling prevention, and the long-term preservation of nutrients in food were traditionally the main goals of food engineering. More specific conventional processes include canning, freeze-drying, canning, and food concentration and dehydration. Wars and lengthy journeys, including space missions, where long-lasting and nourishing diets were necessary for survival, had a significant impact on and prompted the development of food technologies. The procedures of milling, storing, and fermenting are further prehistoric activities.
The focus of food engineering has recently switched to food quality, safety, taste, health, and sustainability, even though some traditional tasks continue to be problematic and serve as the foundation for contemporary technologies and developments.