ABSTRACT
Many food products are marketed in some form of convenient package or container, such as a carton, bottle, pouch, or other unit. Commercial scale then, in the food industry, represents production rates of millions of units per year, scores of units per minute, and tens of millions of dollars in annual value from a typical production line. In general, the development of a mathematical model is a good goal for food process development. Such a model provides a framework and a guide for research, serves as a useful tool for design once developed, and can demonstrate (by its relative success) the degree of understanding achieved. An education in food science can be the basis for work in food process engineering if properly supplemented with engineering courses. This chapter helps students and faculty gain an overview of the food processing industry from which they can pursue subjects of interest in greater depth, that is, to provide a context for further exploration.
