Contents



Preface

Nowadays, there is a difference between food technology and food engineering. The first treats the application of methods of food preservation and food processing, while food engineering is a more complex area focusing on a combination of food and applied sciences such as microbiology, physical sciences, chemistry, and

Achieving food quality with respect to its flavor and stability is a complex process, especially when considering the large variety of flavor compounds and diversity of food accepted by consumers. Knowledge of all mechanisms involved in the change of food flavor during processing and storage and identifying the techniques for its constant quality assurance is essential. The desire for food producers to succeed in the global food market involves lengthy periods until the product reaches the consumer. Innovative cost-effective technologies are being introduced capable of

Advanced processing methods tend to preserve the characteristic properties of food better, including its sensory and nutritional qualities, when compared with conventional food processing methods. Additionally, there is a clear rise in those suffering from food allergies. This fact is widely attributed to the changing livelihoods of populations in both developed and developing nations. The return to ancient food recipes by the industrial reinterpretation of food could be a successful alternative to

a healthier lifestyle and a rising consumer trust in industrialized food.

In this book a selection of novel technologies applied to food preservation, sugar replacement, and food fortification with various bioactive compounds is presented in a series of original research and review chapters. Given the rapid growth of engineering fields, namely the food industry with novel food process technologies, novel ingredients, advanced enzyme production and applications, and other complementary technologies, this book will disclose the latest trends in food engineering. This text is a compilation of selected research articles and reviews covering current efforts in research in and application of emerging technologies in the food industry. The chapters in this book are divided into three broad sections. Section 1 deals with introductory information about enzyme application, preserving treatments (such as thermal treatment, active packaging concepts) in a sustainable, cost-effective manner, inclusion in food processing of wild edible plants as a part of cultural and generic heritage, and the upscaling of extraction techniques to increase the bioavailability of bioactive compounds. Section 2 provides data concerning the food industry's emerging technologies. Section 3 reveals the latest trends in food fortification. Overall, this book serves as an inspiring source for both scientific and industrial actors or anyone involved in any aspect related to the food industry.

I am most appreciative to Ms. Romina Skomersic, the Author Service Manager, who supervised and organized the publishing of all materials, assisted me and the authors in the completion of our work in an easy, timely manner, and provided helpful advice and guidance throughout this project. I thank the authors for their wonderful contributions. I also thank the technical editors who prepared these

engineering.

satisfying consumers' quality demands.

*by María Laura Gómez Castro, Claudia Cecilia Larregain, Ethel Noemi Coscarello* 

*and Roberto Jorge Aguerre*
