ABSTRACT
The food and beverage industries are among the major industries that manufacture a wide range of food and drinks to cater to the needs of the growing world population. The food and beverage processing sector, which is a highly fragmented industry, broadly comprises the following subsegments: dairy and milk, grain and cereal, fruits and vegetables, beer and alcoholic beverages, meat and poultry, seafood, packaged or convenience foods, and packaged drinks. The various food and beverage industries grouped in terms of their major food products are presented in Table 5.1. These industries process the raw food and beverage materials and manufacture processed food and beverages according to the consumer demand around the world, and as a consequence, the food and beverage industries are proliferating rapidly. In fact, the principal aims of modern food processing industries are (i) to make safe food, both chemically and microbiologically; (ii) to provide high-quality products, rich in nutrients and organoleptic properties; and (iii) to prepare convenient foods. The benefits of food processing include preservation, an increase in food consistency and verity, and ease in marketing. Further, food processing facilitates the seasonal availability of several foods, safeguards against spoilage, extends shelf life, protects against food-borne pathogens and their poisoning, and facilitates transportation and distribution of perishable foods across long distances. Moreover, large-scale processing of food contributes to cheaper costs of food owing to a reduction in manufacturing costs and enhanced profit potential for the food processing industries.
