Food Processing and Technology is Chapter 5 of the NCERT Class 12 Home Science textbook, Human Ecology and Family Sciences Part I. These food processing and technology class 12 notes cover pages 61–74 of the book and follow the 2026-27 session.
The chapter mixes three kinds of content: conceptual science (why food spoils and how processing prevents it), applied professional knowledge (classes of food, industry skills, careers), and a hands-on practical (designing, preparing, costing and labelling a processed product).
This page gives you definitions, classification tables, every key number, two worked examples, answer plans for the review questions, and a five-minute revision recap.
Use the jump links below to move straight to any block. Each section notes the NCERT pages it covers, so you can return to the textbook when you need the full treatment.
Food Processing and Technology: chapter map for revision
The chapter is built around five learning objectives (NCERT, p. 61): understanding what food processing and technology is, its history, development and present status; explaining the significance and basic concepts; knowing the skills a professional food technologist needs; knowing the career opportunities and the qualifications they require; and seeing the scope for self-employment as a small, medium or large-scale entrepreneur.
| Block of the chapter | What it covers | NCERT pages |
|---|---|---|
| Basic concepts | The four core terms — food science, processing, technology, manufacturing | 63–64 |
| Development of food technology | History from prehistoric methods to the 21st century | 64–65 |
| Importance and spoilage | Why processing matters; causes of deterioration | 65–66 |
| Classes of foods | Perishability and degree of processing | 66–67 |
| Activity 1 | Survey of home-preserved foods | 67 |
| Professional knowledge and skills | Table 5.1: three stages of food production | 68 |
| Preparing for a career | Courses, institutes, qualifications | 69 |
| Scope and career avenues | Workplaces, job roles, industry data | 70–71 |
| Review questions | Seven chapter-end questions | 72 |
| Practical 1 | Design, prepare, evaluate and label a processed product | 73–74 |
The six key terms the chapter expects you to define are food processing, food technology, food preservation, food science, food spoilage and food product development (NCERT, p. 71). This chapter sits in the Nutrition, Food Science and Technology unit of the subject; the Class 12 Home Science notes hub groups it with the chapters around it.
Core definitions: food science, processing, technology and manufacturing
Four terms cause the most confusion because they describe different stages of the same journey: studying food, transforming it, applying science to do it well, and producing it in bulk. The table below puts them side by side, which NCERT’s separate definitions do not do.
| Term | Meaning in your own words | Example or memory hook |
|---|---|---|
| Food Science | The study of food itself — its composition, what changes it undergoes from harvest to consumption, and why it spoils — using biology, physical sciences and engineering (NCERT, p. 63). | The subject that explains why a cut apple turns brown. |
| Food Processing | The set of methods and techniques that transform raw ingredients into finished or semi-finished products (NCERT, p. 63). | Wheat grains → flour → bread. |
| Food Technology | Uses food science and food engineering, plus socio-economic knowledge and legal rules, to produce safe, nutritious, convenient foods (NCERT, p. 63). | Designing packaging that keeps juice safe for months. |
| Food Manufacturing | Mass production of food products using the principles of food technology to feed a large population (NCERT, p. 64). | A factory line producing thousands of biscuit packets a day. |
| Food Preservation | Keeping food edible and safe by preventing spoilage after harvest or slaughter. | Sun-drying grains; pickling. |
| Food Spoilage | Deterioration — off-flavours, loss of texture, discolouration, loss of nutrients — that makes food unfit or unsafe. | Milk turning sour. |
| Food Fortification | Adding a nutrient that is lacking in a food or condiment so that minimum dietary requirements are met (NCERT, p. 62). | Iodised salt; folic acid added to flour; vitamin A and D added to milk. |
| Food Derivatives | Components obtained from a raw product through purification (NCERT, p. 67). | Sugar from sugarcane; oil from oilseeds (oil can be hydrogenated to vanaspati). |
| Functional Foods | Foods that can have a beneficial effect on human health (NCERT, p. 67). | Probiotics. |
| Medical Foods | Foods used in the dietary management of diseases (NCERT, p. 67). | Low-sodium salt; lactose-free milk for lactose intolerance. |
The relationship between the first four: food science studies what food is and why it changes; processing transforms the raw material; technology supplies the science and engineering to do that safely and well; and manufacturing scales the same principles up to bulk production.
Why food spoils and why processing is non-negotiable
Why foods are processed at all
From the earliest times people dried grains after harvest to lengthen their shelf life. Initially, processing aimed at improving digestibility and palatability and ensuring a continuous supply (NCERT, p. 61).
Modern consumers add more demands: fresh and organic foods, safer and healthier foods, retention of nutrients, specific functional properties, good taste and texture, shelf stability, and easy packaging, storage and transport (NCERT, p. 62).
Processing also adds value — it increases storability, portability, palatability and convenience, and cuts the cook’s preparation time (NCERT, p. 65). Two health-driven forces push it further:
- Fortification fixes nutrient gaps in staple diets — for example iodised salt, folic acid in flour, and vitamin A and D in milk; FSSAI has laid down standards for fortifying salt, wheat flour, milk and oats (NCERT, p. 62).
- Calorie and fat reduction responds to lifestyle diseases — artificial sweeteners cut the energy value of processed foods, and the fat in ice cream can be replaced by specially treated proteins that keep the smooth texture with a reduced energy value (NCERT, p. 62).
What makes food spoil
Foods suffer physical, chemical and biological deterioration that shows up as off-flavours, texture breakdown, discolouration, nutrient loss and reduced appeal — eventually making the food unfit or unsafe (NCERT, p. 65). The causes are many, and a revision answer should list them in full:
| Spoilage cause | How it damages food |
|---|---|
| Pests and insect infestation | Physical damage and contamination of stored foods. |
| Inappropriate temperatures during processing or storage | Speed up microbial growth and enzyme activity. |
| Excessive light or other radiation | Break down colours and nutrients. |
| Oxygen | Oxidation and development of off-flavours. |
| Moisture | Provides the water micro-organisms need to multiply. |
| Micro-organisms: bacteria, fungi, moulds, yeasts | Decompose food; the main biological spoilage agents. |
| Chemical pesticides | Contaminate the food. |
| Natural enzymes | Biological catalysts that accelerate chemical breakdown — over-ripening, browning, softening. |
Enzyme activity depends on pH and temperature; the oxidative enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables keep using oxygen and so shorten their shelf life (NCERT, p. 66). Micro-organisms grow rapidly when conditions suit them, and the factors controlling that growth are nutrient availability, moisture, pH, oxygen levels, and the presence or absence of inhibiting substances such as antibiotics (NCERT, p. 66).
Remember this list — Review Question 7 asks for four such conditions.
Two Did You Know facts from page 66 are highly quotable in answers:
- Bacteria prefer protein-rich foods — meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy — which are known as high-risk foods.
- Bacteria grow at any temperature between 5 and 60°C; this range is the danger zone.
Fortification, deficiency disorders and dietary requirements link this chapter to nutrition science; the Public Nutrition and Health notes cover that side of the subject in depth.
Five ways food processing prevents spoilage
The five basic concepts in food processing (NCERT, p. 66) all attack the same two targets: microbial growth and enzyme activity. Learn them as a numbered list in this order:
- Application of heat — kills micro-organisms and inactivates enzymes. Pasteurisation and canning work on this principle.
- Removal of water moisture — micro-organisms cannot grow without moisture, so drying and dehydration withhold the water they need.
- Lowering temperature during storage — refrigeration and freezing slow microbial growth and enzyme action.
- Reduction of pH — acidic conditions inhibit bacterial growth.
- Controlling the availability of oxygen — prevents oxidation and stops aerobic spoilage, including the action of oxidative enzymes in fruits and vegetables.
Memory device (not in the NCERT text): “Hot Mango Chutney Prevents Odours” maps to Heat, Moisture removal, Cold, pH, Oxygen. A mango chutney itself demonstrates the list — it is heated, cooked down to remove moisture, and made acidic.
Two food classification systems you must know
Foods are classified two ways in this chapter, and exam answers often need both. First, by how long they keep (perishability):
| Class | Shelf life | Examples (NCERT, p. 66) |
|---|---|---|
| Perishable | 1–2 days | Milk, curds, fish, meat. |
| Semi-perishable | 1–2 weeks | Fruits and vegetables. |
| Root crops (a sub-group of semi-perishable) | 2–4 weeks | Onions, potatoes. |
| Non-perishable | About 1 year | Rice, wheat, pulses and dals, oilseeds. |
Second, by the extent and type of processing — seven classes, listed from least to most intervention (NCERT, pp. 66–67):
| Class | What changes | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Minimally processed | Cleaning, trimming, shelling, cutting, slicing; storage at refrigeration temperatures. | Washed salad greens, shelled nuts. |
| 2. Preserved foods | Preservation methods that do not change the character of the product substantially. | Frozen peas, dehydrated vegetables, canned fruits and vegetables. |
| 3. Manufactured foods | Original characteristics are lost; basic preservation with salt, sugar, oil or chemical preservatives. | Pickles, jams, marmalades, squashes, papads, wadis. |
| 4. Formulated foods | Individual ingredients are mixed and processed into a relatively shelf-stable product. | Bread, biscuits, ice cream, cakes, kulfi. |
| 5. Food derivatives | A component is purified out of the raw product, sometimes processed further. | Sugar from sugarcane; oil from oilseeds; oil hydrogenated to vanaspati. |
| 6. Functional foods | Foods with a beneficial effect on health. | Probiotics. |
| 7. Medical foods | Foods used in the dietary management of diseases. | Low-sodium salt; lactose-free milk. |
How food technology developed: a timeline worth remembering
The development of food preservation is a favourite short-answer question (Review Question 4), so learn it as a timeline of turning points (NCERT, pp. 64–65):
| Period | Development | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Prehistoric times | Sun drying, controlled fermentation, salting/pickling, candying, roasting, smoking, baking, spices as preservatives. | The oldest preservation methods — tried and tested, and still used today. |
| 1810 | Nicolas Appert develops the canning process. | A decisive event that changed food preservation techniques. |
| 1864 | Louis Pasteur studies spoilage of wine and how to avoid it. | Put food technology on a scientific basis; led to pasteurisation — treating milk to destroy disease-producing organisms. |
| 20th century | World wars, space exploration and rising consumer demand drive growth. | Instant soup mixes and ready-to-cook meals were developed, catering to working women; focus shifts to nutrition and year-round seasonal foods. |
| 21st century | Food technologists are challenged to produce foods suited to health and changing consumer needs. | A vast variety of safe, convenient foods; improved food security and employment in developing countries. |
| India today | Shift from an agro-deficit to an agro-surplus country. | Creates a need for storage and processing of agricultural and horticultural produce. |
Knowledge, skills and careers in the food industry
Three stages of food production (Table 5.1, NCERT p. 68)
The textbook groups professional knowledge and skills into three stages. A complete answer on this topic should name all three:
| Stage | What the professional must know or do |
|---|---|
| Food as a material | Seasonal availability, nature and properties of food, nutritional content and its analysis, cost, the effect of chemical pesticides, time, moisture, temperature and additives, quality assessment of raw materials, food hygiene and safety, and IT for contemporary production. |
| Food product development | Large-scale cooking skills, product specifications and testing, observing and measuring quality control, sensory evaluation by testing and tasting, industrial practices and manufacturing control, labelling and packaging, and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point). |
| Recipe development | Cooking expertise, knowledge of food properties, accurate measuring and weighing of ingredients, designing, analysing and adapting a basic recipe, food-handling skills, hygiene and safety norms, accurate use of tools and equipment, innovation, and IT. |
What the industry expects (NCERT, p. 69)
- Food science, food chemistry, microbiology, food processing, safety and quality assurance, good manufacturing practices and nutrition.
- Analysis of raw and cooked or manufactured foods for composition, quality and safety.
- Knowledge of food ingredients and their use in large-scale production.
- Product specifications, sensory evaluation and acceptability, packaging and labelling.
- Industrial practices, distribution channels, consumer purchase patterns and IT for product design.
- Skills in food preparation, cooking and adapting recipes from a design brief.
Career avenues, courses and self-employment
The career list on page 70 covers production (Production Managers, Project Implementation), technical roles (Quality Assurance, Sensory Evaluation, Research and Development, Product Development), business roles (Marketing and Sales, Project Financing, Project Appraisal, Technical Marketing), knowledge roles (Teaching and Research, Consultancy) and Entrepreneurship Development.
Workplaces include food industries, quality control departments, hotels, hospitals, labelling and packaging industries, breweries and distilleries, soft drink industries, dairies, confectionery, fish and meat processing, fruit and vegetable processing, and grain, cereal and millet mills (NCERT, p. 70).
Qualifications: after Class 12 (10+2) a student can take short-term certificate, craft and diploma courses at institutes across states, including the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore; bachelor’s and master’s degrees and research qualifications give the strongest grounding for large-scale industry, research and entrepreneurship; the National Institute of Food Technology and Entrepreneurship Management (NIFTEM) at Sonepat offers postgraduate courses in specialised areas (NCERT, p. 69).
Self-employment is a well-supported route: examples given are salted peanuts, drinking water pouches, dehydrated products and pickles. The government supports entrepreneurs with finances, training, infrastructure and marketing facilities; banks provide financial support with encouragement for women entrepreneurs, and state governments contribute space (NCERT, p. 71).
Food safety and hygiene ideas run through all of this — the Food Quality and Food Safety notes develop them further. You can verify the full chapter text on the official NCERT textbook portal at ncert.nic.in/textbook.php, where the prescribed Class 12 Home Science textbook can be checked and downloaded.
Key numbers to memorise: the closest thing to formulas here
This chapter has no equations, but it is full of numbers that behave like formulas — quote them exactly in any answer about shelf life or the Indian food industry (NCERT, pp. 66 and 71):
| Quantity | Value |
|---|---|
| Danger zone (bacterial growth range) | 5–60°C |
| Perishable foods keep for | 1–2 days |
| Semi-perishable foods keep for | 1–2 weeks |
| Root crops (onions, potatoes) keep for | 2–4 weeks |
| Non-perishable foods keep for | about 1 year |
| Size of the Indian food industry | 61 billion US dollars |
| Rank of the Indian food industry by size | 5th |
| Contribution to GDP | nearly 6 per cent |
| Share of Indian exports | 13 per cent |
| Share of total industrial investment | 6 per cent |
| Estimated growth rate of the industry | 20 per cent |
| Processed food segment’s share of that growth | 25 per cent |
Worked examples: classify foods and cost a product
Example 1: classify a shopping list by perishability and degree of processing
Method — the two-question test. For every item ask: (1) How long does it keep? — this fixes the perishability class; (2) How much has it been changed from the fresh form? — this fixes the degree of processing. Apply both questions to each item before writing anything.
Take this shopping list: milk, potatoes, rice, frozen peas, mango pickle, bread, sugar, probiotic curd, low-sodium salt, fresh spinach.
Worked row — milk: milk is listed among foods that spoil within one or two days, so it is perishable (NCERT, p. 66). The milk we buy has been pasteurised — heated to destroy disease-producing organisms (NCERT, p. 64). Since that treatment does not substantially change its character, it belongs with the preserved foods — and cold storage after opening still matters.
So: perishable; preserved (pasteurised).
Apply the same two questions to the rest:
| Item | Perishability class (why) | Processing class (why) |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | Perishable — spoils in 1–2 days. | Preserved — pasteurised by heat; character unchanged. |
| Potatoes | Semi-perishable root crop — 2–4 weeks. | Minimally processed — cleaned and trimmed. |
| Rice | Non-perishable — keeps about 1 year. | Minimally processed — cleaned and de-husked. |
| Frozen peas | Semi-perishable when fresh; freezing extends this. | Preserved — the textbook’s own example of a preserved food. |
| Mango pickle | Non-perishable when preserved in salt and oil. | Manufactured — original characters lost; the textbook’s example. |
| Bread | Shelf-stable for several days. | Formulated — individual ingredients mixed and processed. |
| Sugar | Non-perishable. | Food derivative — purified from sugarcane. |
| Probiotic curd | Perishable — curd spoils like milk. | Functional food — probiotics benefit health. |
| Low-sodium salt | Non-perishable. | Medical food — used in dietary management of disease. |
| Fresh spinach | Semi-perishable — a fresh vegetable, 1–2 weeks. | Minimally processed — washed and trimmed. |
Example 2: cost a 500 g processed product
Method — Practical 1 costing. The practical prices a product under four headings: cost of food materials and ingredients, energy consumed, labour cost, and cost of storage and packing material (NCERT, p. 73). Suppose you prepare 500 g of mango jam.
Step 1: List each cost heading and its value (all in rupees).
| Cost heading | Amount (₹) |
|---|---|
| Raw ingredients (fruit pulp, sugar) | 80 |
| Energy consumed (cooking fuel) | 12 |
| Labour cost | 25 |
| Storage and packing material (jars, labels) | 18 |
Step 2: Add the four costs to get the total cost of the 500 g batch.
\[ 80 + 12 + 25 + 18 = 135 \]
Total cost: ₹135 for 500 g of jam.
Step 3: Convert to cost per 100 g.
Since 500 g is \(500 \div 100 = 5\) hundred-gram lots, divide the total by 5.
\[ \text{Cost per 100 g} = 135 \div 5 = 27 \]
Step 4: Cost per kilogram is the per-100 g cost times 10.
\[ \text{Cost per kg} = 27 \times 10 = 270 \]
Step 5: Fix a selling price that covers cost and adds profit.
With a 25 per cent margin on cost:
\[ \text{Profit} = 135 \times 0.25 = 33.75 \]
\[ \text{Selling price} = 135 + 33.75 = 168.75 \approx 169 \]
Final answer: the 500 g jar costs ₹135 to make (₹27 per 100 g); at a 25 per cent margin the selling price is about ₹169, or roughly ₹34 per 100 g.
The practical does not stop at costing — the finished product is evaluated for texture, taste, colour and quality, and a label is prepared (NCERT, pp. 73–74).
Activity 1 and Practical 1: what they teach and how to prepare
Activity 1 (NCERT, p. 67) has two tasks:
- List the foods preserved at home in your region or community, and identify the method and preservatives used for each.
- Find a processed food made with artificial sweeteners that is available in your area.
Practical 1 (NCERT, pp. 73–74) has the theme “Design, Prepare and Evaluate a Processed Food Product.”
Working in groups of 5–6, each group chooses a product with a long shelf life (pickle, jam, squash, murabba or papad), tries to make it different from market products (for example by partly replacing sugar with an artificial sweetener), prepares about 500 g using locally available raw materials, evaluates it, and labels it.
This practical tests hygiene throughout, because the purpose is first-hand experience of planning, preparing, packaging and labelling a preserved product.
The label for the product must carry (NCERT, p. 74):
- Name of the product and a picture or drawing, if possible.
- Name and address of the manufacturer.
- List of ingredients in descending order of proportion, plus net weight or volume.
- Instructions for use, if any.
- Storage instructions.
- The “Use By” or “Best Before” date.
The practical also draws on the framework of this page: perishability decides the product’s shelf life, the seven processing classes place it on the spectrum of intervention, and the costing steps decide whether it could sell.
Common mistakes students make in this chapter
| Students write… | Correct is… | Why / how to check your answer |
|---|---|---|
| “Pasteurisation kills all micro-organisms.” | Pasteurisation destroys disease-producing organisms; it does not make food completely sterile. | The textbook defines pasteurisation as treating milk to destroy disease-producing organisms (NCERT, p. 64). Check: pasteurised milk still needs refrigeration, so it is not sterile. |
| “Bacteria are the only cause of spoilage.” | Bacteria, fungi, moulds and yeasts all cause spoilage, and non-microbial causes (pests, temperature, light, oxygen, moisture, pesticides, enzymes) matter too. | Pages 65–66 list four microbe groups plus many other causes. Check: have you listed at least the four microbe types? |
| “Functional foods and medical foods are the same.” | Functional foods benefit health generally (probiotics); medical foods are used in the dietary management of diseases (low-sodium salt, lactose-free milk). | The classification on page 67 treats them as separate classes with different purposes. Check: what disease or health benefit does your example name? |
| “All processed foods are unhealthy.” | Processing improves digestibility, palatability, safety and shelf life, and fortification adds missing nutrients. | Iodised salt, folic acid in flour and vitamin A and D in milk are processed foods that improve nutrition (NCERT, p. 62). Check: the type and extent of processing, not processing itself, is the issue. |
| “Canned and frozen foods are manufactured foods.” | They are preserved foods — the preservation does not change their character substantially. | The textbook lists frozen peas, dehydrated vegetables and canned fruits under preserved foods; manufactured foods lose their original characteristics (pickles, jams) (NCERT, p. 67). |
| “The danger zone is the safe storage zone.” | 5–60°C is the danger zone because bacteria grow in this range. | Keeping food in this temperature range lets bacteria multiply, which is unsafe (NCERT, p. 66). |
Writing answers to the review questions on page 72
These are building plans, not readymade solutions — use them to decide what a complete answer must contain and in what order.
Q1. Explain the five terms. Write one short paragraph per term: definition first, then one example. The core-definitions table above supplies every term (food science, food processing, food technology, food manufacturing, food spoilage) with its NCERT page reference.
Q2. Significance of food technology; effect on working women. Open with India’s shift from agro-deficit to agro-surplus, then quote the industry figures (5th by size, about 6 per cent of GDP). Finish with the direct effect on working women: instant soup mixes and ready-to-cook meals were developed specially to meet their needs (NCERT, pp. 62–64).
Q3. Old methods of preservation used at home. List the prehistoric methods — sun drying, controlled fermentation, salting and pickling, candying, roasting, smoking, baking, spices — and for each say whether it is still viable today. The textbook supports saying these tried and tested techniques are still in use (NCERT, p. 65).
Q4. Development of food preservation to its present status. This is the timeline question. Answer chronologically: prehistoric methods → 1810 Appert’s canning → 1864 Pasteur and pasteurisation → 20th-century wars, space exploration and consumer demand → 21st-century health-focused foods. Expand each turning point with one or two lines from the timeline table above (NCERT, pp. 64–65).
Q5. Knowledge and skills the industry requires. Structure the answer in two halves — knowledge (food science, chemistry, microbiology, safety and quality assurance, good manufacturing practices, nutrition) and skills (sensory evaluation, large-scale cooking, recipe design and adaptation, packaging and labelling, IT). Draw the details from the three-stage table (NCERT, p. 68).
Q6. Enhancing food values for health and wellness. Give named examples: iodised salt, folic acid in flour, vitamin A and D in milk for fortification; artificial sweeteners to cut calories; specially treated proteins replacing fat in ice cream. Each example needs the health problem it answers (NCERT, pp. 62, 67).
Q7. Five short parts.
- Why process and preserve: shelf life, safety, digestibility, palatability, convenience, value addition and continuous supply (NCERT, pp. 61, 65).
- Causes of spoilage: work through the spoilage-cause table — pests, temperatures, light, oxygen, moisture, micro-organisms, chemical pesticides, enzymes (NCERT, p. 65).
- Four conditions bacteria need to grow: nutrient availability, moisture, pH and oxygen levels are the safe four; a fifth factor in the chapter is the presence or absence of inhibiting substances such as antibiotics (NCERT, p. 66).
- What processing does to extend shelf life: state the five concepts — heat, removal of moisture, lower storage temperature, reduction of pH, control of oxygen (NCERT, p. 66).
- Professional scope after 10+2: certificate, craft and diploma courses, CFTRI Mysore, degree and research routes, NIFTEM Sonepat; then the career-avenues and self-employment lists (NCERT, pp. 69–71).
One-page revision summary
Five core terms: Food Science studies food; Food Processing transforms raw ingredients; Food Technology applies science and engineering to do it safely; Food Manufacturing scales it to bulk production; Food Preservation keeps food edible and safe.
Five spoilage-prevention concepts (mnemonic “Hot Mango Chutney Prevents Odours”): Heat, Moisture removal, Cold, pH, Oxygen.
Perishability: perishable 1–2 days (milk, curds, fish, meat); semi-perishable 1–2 weeks (fruits, vegetables); root crops 2–4 weeks (onions, potatoes); non-perishable about 1 year (rice, wheat, pulses, oilseeds).
Seven processing classes, least to most intervention: minimally processed → preserved → manufactured → formulated → food derivatives → functional → medical.
Key dates: 1810 (Appert, canning); 1864 (Pasteur, pasteurisation). Danger zone: 5–60°C; high-risk foods are protein-rich (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy).
Career routes: production, quality assurance, sensory evaluation, R&D, teaching, consultancy, entrepreneurship; courses at CFTRI Mysore and NIFTEM Sonepat; self-employment in pickles, dehydrated products, salted peanuts and drinking water pouches.
Slot these notes into your wider preparation — the Class 12 revision notes hub covers every subject, and the Class 12 Home Science notes hub keeps this chapter together with the rest of the syllabus.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between food processing and food technology?
Food processing is the set of methods and techniques that transform raw ingredients into finished or semi-finished products, while food technology is the wider discipline that applies food science and food engineering — along with socio-economic knowledge and legal rules — to select, store, preserve, process, package and distribute safe, nutritious, convenient foods (NCERT, pp. 63–64).
In short: processing is the action; technology is the science and system behind it.
What are the five basic concepts used in food processing to prevent spoilage?
They are: application of heat; removal of water moisture; lowering temperature during storage; reduction of pH; and controlling the availability of oxygen (NCERT, p. 66). Each one limits either microbial growth or enzyme activity.
What are perishable, semi-perishable and non-perishable foods? Give examples.
Perishable foods spoil within 1–2 days (milk, curds, fish, meat); semi-perishable foods last 1–2 weeks (fruits and vegetables, with root crops like onions and potatoes lasting 2–4 weeks); non-perishable foods last about one year (rice, wheat, pulses and dals, oilseeds) (NCERT, p. 66).
What courses and institutes can I join for a career in food technology after Class 12?
After 10+2 you can join short-term certificate, craft or diploma courses at institutes across states, including the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore; bachelor’s and master’s degrees and research qualifications prepare you for large-scale industry, research and entrepreneurship; and NIFTEM at Sonepat offers postgraduate courses in specialised areas of food processing and technology (NCERT, p. 69).
What is the danger zone in food safety?
The danger zone is the temperature range 5–60°C, in which bacteria grow. Food held in this range is at risk of bacterial multiplication, so safe storage keeps food outside it (NCERT, p. 66).
What is the difference between functional foods and medical foods?
Functional foods can have a beneficial effect on human health — probiotics are the textbook’s example. Medical foods are used in the dietary management of diseases — examples are low-sodium salt and lactose-free milk for people with lactose intolerance (NCERT, p. 67).
For the remaining chapters, keep browsing the Class 12 Home Science notes, or browse the full CBSE notes collection on this site.
Reference: NCERT Class 12 Human Ecology and Family Sciences Part I textbook, chapter Food Processing and Technology.
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