Punjab PSEB Senior Secondary NSQF Food Processing key terms

Any deliberate action that changes a raw agricultural commodity into a safer, longer-lasting or more convenient food, such as cleaning, milling, heating, drying, fermenting or packaging.

The increase in worth of a food commodity gained by processing, grading, branding or packaging, which raises farmer income and reduces post-harvest losses.

The measurable reduction in quantity or quality of food between harvest and final consumption, caused by spillage, spoilage, pests, poor storage or delays in processing.

A nutrient needed by the body in large amounts to supply energy or build tissue, namely carbohydrates, proteins and fats, each contributing a known energy value per gram.

A vitamin or mineral required by the body in very small quantities for normal metabolism, growth and disease resistance, without providing energy directly.

The ratio of the vapour pressure of water in a food to that of pure water at the same temperature; it measures water available for microbial growth rather than total moisture.

The total amount of water present in a food, usually expressed as a percentage of its mass, determined by oven drying or similar methods and used for storage and labelling decisions.

A non-enzymatic browning reaction between reducing sugars and amino groups of proteins that produces brown pigments and aroma compounds during baking, frying or roasting.

The browning and flavour development that occurs when sugars alone are heated strongly without proteins, producing characteristic colour and aroma in sweets, syrups and beverages.

The development of unpleasant flavours and odours in fats and oils through oxidation or lipase-catalysed hydrolysis, accelerated by heat, light, oxygen and trace metals.

A substance that slows oxidation of fats, vitamins or pigments by reacting with free radicals or oxygen, either naturally present in food or added as a permitted preservative.

The deliberate addition of essential vitamins or minerals to a staple food to correct or prevent a documented nutritional deficiency in the population, for example iodine in salt.

Any change in a food that makes it unfit or unacceptable for human consumption, caused by microbial growth, enzyme action, chemical reactions, insects or physical damage.

A microorganism capable of causing illness in humans, such as Salmonella, Listeria or Clostridium botulinum, often present without obvious change in taste, smell or appearance of food.

Illness resulting from eating contaminated food, either as infection from living pathogens or intoxication from toxins produced by microorganisms in the food before consumption.

Microorganisms whose optimum growth temperature lies roughly between 45 and 70 degrees Celsius, commonly associated with under-processed canned foods and hot-held foods.

A highly resistant dormant structure formed by certain bacteria such as Bacillus and Clostridium, able to survive boiling and ordinary cooking and germinate later in favourable conditions.

The set of techniques that prevent or slow microbial growth, enzyme activity and chemical deterioration so that a food remains safe and acceptable for a defined shelf life.

A brief heat treatment in hot water or steam that inactivates enzymes, removes air and fixes colour in fruits and vegetables before freezing, drying or canning.

A mild heat treatment, typically below 100 degrees Celsius, that destroys vegetative pathogens and reduces spoilage organisms while causing minimal change to sensory and nutritional quality.

A heat process that destroys all viable microorganisms and their spores in a sealed container, usually achieved above 100 degrees Celsius under pressure to give commercially sterile food.

The deliberate combination of several mild preservation factors such as low pH, reduced water activity, chilling and preservatives so that no single factor alone must be severe.

Preservation by lowering food temperature below its freezing point so that water forms ice and microbial growth and enzyme reactions nearly stop; quality depends on fast freezing and stable storage.

Preservation by removing water from food to a level that prevents microbial growth and enzyme activity, carried out by sun, hot air, vacuum, freeze or spray methods.

A substance added intentionally to food in small amounts for a technological purpose such as colour, preservation, emulsification or texture, permitted only at approved levels.

A single basic step, such as size reduction, mixing, filtration, evaporation or heat exchange, that is combined with others to build a complete food processing line.

Removal of water from a liquid food by boiling at controlled temperature and pressure, used to concentrate milk, juices and syrups before drying or packaging.

The mechanical grinding and separation of cereal grains or pulses into flour, semolina, bran and germ fractions using roller or stone mills, strongly affecting nutritional value.

The proportion of the original grain that ends up as edible flour after milling; a high extraction rate retains more bran and germ and therefore more fibre, vitamins and minerals.

The processing of pulses to remove the outer husk and split the cotyledons, producing dhal; involves conditioning, dehusking and splitting with minimal breakage losses.

An unbroken series of refrigerated production, storage, transport and retail steps that keeps perishable food within a specified temperature range from producer to consumer.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points: a preventive food safety system that identifies biological, chemical and physical hazards and controls them at defined critical control points.

A step in a food process where a specific control measure can be applied and a measurable limit set, so that a hazard is prevented, eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level.

Good Manufacturing Practice: the documented basic conditions and practices for premises, equipment, personnel and hygiene that must exist before a HACCP plan can work effectively.

The combined cleaning and disinfection activities that remove soil and reduce microorganisms on food contact surfaces, equipment and hands to safe levels.

The registration, state licence or central licence issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India that a food business must hold to operate legally.

The period during which a stored food remains safe, retains acceptable sensory quality and meets its declared nutritional and labelling claims under stated storage conditions.

Packaging in which the internal gas mixture of a pack is deliberately changed, usually by lowering oxygen and raising carbon dioxide or nitrogen, to slow spoilage and extend shelf life.

The sales volume or output level at which total revenue equals total cost, so the enterprise makes neither profit nor loss and any further sales generate profit.

An expense that stays essentially unchanged over a period regardless of production volume, such as rent, insurance or salaries of permanent staff, unlike variable costs.