Classification of food and the food industry

The food industry may also be classified according to major product lines:

1. Cereals and bakery

2. Meat, fish and poultry

3. Fats and oils

4. Non-alcoholic/alcoholic beverages

5. Fruits and vegetables

6. Sugar and other sweets etc.

 

Classification of foods based on their body function:

1. Body building foods: Foods rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins.

2. Foods for energy: Foods rich in carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

3. Foods for regulating body process: Food rich in minerals, vitamins, proteins are the major cellular structural elements. These are for biochemical catalysis and are important regulators of gene expression. The above nutrients are present in almost all foods in varying proportions as far as the science and technology is concerned.

 

Classification of foods based on pH:

> pH is “the negative logarithmic of H+ ion concentration”. 

(a) Low acid foods: pH of 5 and higher. This includes peas, maize, corn, beans etc. which gets spoiled by thermophilic and mesophilic organisms .

(b) Medium acid foods: pH of 5.0 to 4.5. This class includes meat and vegetable mixtures, soups, sauces, fish,etc

(c) Acid Foods: pH of 4.5 to 3.7. These include tomatoes, pears, pineapples and figs. They are spoiled by non-spore forming type organism.

(d) Highly Acidic foods: pH is 3.7 and below. This includes pickles, citrus juices etc. In these group bacteria spores can be easily destroyed at pH 3. So spore generation is negligible.