TECHNOLOGIES IN FOOD PROCESSING

With the unprecedented increase in the world’s population, the need for different foodprocessing techniques becomes extremely important. And with the increase in awareness of and demand for food quality, processed products with improved quality and better taste that are safe are also important aspects that need to be addressed. In this volume, experts examine the use of different technologies for food processing. They look at technology with ways to preserve nutrients, eliminate anti-nutrients and toxins, add vitamins and minerals, reduce waste, and increase productivity.

Topics include, among others:

• applications of ohmic heating

• cold plasma in food processing

• the role of biotechnology in the production of fermented foods and beverages

• the use of modification of food proteins using gamma irradiation

• edible coatings to restrain migration of moisture, oxygen, and carbon dioxide

• natural colorants, as opposed to synthetic coloring, which may have toxic effects

• hurdle technology in the food industry

• the unrecognized potential of agro-industrial waste

Harish Kumar Sharma, PhD, is a Professor and Former Dean (R&C) of the Food Engineering and Technology Department at the Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET), India. His research deals primarily with food process development, value addition, and exploration of new quality control methods. He has published more than 170 papers in national/international journals and has authored/edited several books, along with book chapters. He has successfully handled a number of projects for government agencies and industry in the capacity of principal investor or co-principal investor. Dr. Sharma is affiliated with various associations and state and national committees and has acted as a referee and editorial board member for several journals.

Parmjit S. Panesar, PhD, is a Professor and Head of the Department of Food Engineering and Technology at Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology, Punjab, India. His research is focused in the area of food biotechnology, especially prebiotics, probiotics, microbial enzymes, application of immobilized cells/enzymes in different bioprocesses, and value addition of agro-industrial wastes. He has successfully completed several research projects and has authored many scientific papers published in international/national scientific papers, over 50 book reviews, and many book chapters, and he has also authored/edited several books.