ABSTRACT
Foods are materials, in a raw, processed, or formulated form, that are consumed orally by humans or animals for growth, health, satisfaction, pleasure, and satisfying social needs. Raw foods generally originate from two major sources: the plant and animal kingdoms. Some foods hold an intermediate position, such as honey being a plant product but collected and processed by bees. Foods can be classified based on their sources. Farmers grow or produce fresh foods and look for markets for their raw fresh products. Processing adds value to a food product. Food preservation or processing is an action or way to maintain foods at a desired level of properties or nature for their maximum benefits. Food processors or manufacturers utilize new technologies and processing or preservation methods in order to produce value-added products from fresh foods harvested by farmers or from their by-products. Fresh foods have a short shelf life and need to be processed prior to perceptible evidence of undesirable changes.
