Overview of Food Production and Processing

A food system includes all  the:processes and infrastructure involved in feeding a population:

• growing,
• harvesting,
• processing,
• packaging,
• transporting,
• marketing,
• consumption, and
• disposal of food and food-related items.

It also includes all the inputs needed and outputs generated at each of these steps.

Food processing is any method used to turn fresh foods into food products. This can involve one or a combination of processing methods. Food processing also includes adding components to food, for example to extend shelf life, or adding vitamins and minerals to improve the nutritional quality of the food (fortification).

Besides those already written in introduction, the food system includes the governance and economics of food production and our communities, its sustainability, the degree to which we waste food, how food production affects our natural resources and environment and the impact of food on individual and population health. Additionally, food processing plays a crucial role, encompassing methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into consumable food products, which affects nutritional quality, food safety, shelf life, and accessibility. Thus, there's an urgent need for a deep understanding of the complex interconnections within the food system, including food processing, to develop strategies that promote sustainability, ensure food security, reduce waste, protect the environment, and improve public health outcomes.

Throughout this webQuest you will have a comprehensive understanding of the food system and various food processing methods, that will be crucial for making informed choices about the food you consume and understanding the broader impact of food choices on the environment in the next WebQuest.

Your task is to investigate and analyze the various components of the food system, focusing particularly on food processing. You will work in groups to research, synthesize, and present your findings to an open school event so to spread awareness to the  school and local community.

STEP 1: Brainstorming (mentimeter: 'What's a food system' https://www.menti.com/alocfym37i4h )

STEP 2: Introduction to Food system

Watch the provided presentation carefully so to understand the components and dynamics of the food system:

https://view.genially.com/66950af7261a24c5b5e241d9/learning-experience-didactic-unit-food-systems

Take notes on key points, definitions, and examples provided in the presentation. After reviewing the presentation, complete the quiz included into the presentation.  

For a better understanding on the complexity of food system, students are encouraged to watch  the following video that provides a detailed, step-by-step account of the intricate process involved in manufacturing the beloved Nutella spread (Cocoa Bean Harvesting and Processing, Sugar and Milk Sourcing, Hazelnut Sourcing and Processing, Palm Oil Production):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JacrWVaMKV8

Read video summary here.

STEP 3:  Overview of Food Processing

This step will start with a guided discussion based to the above video and the following questions, so to develop the knowledge of students regarding our topic:

• How would you define food processing?
• Can you give examples of different types of food processing techniques you are familiar with?
• What are some common reasons for processing food?
• How does food processing help in ensuring food safety and extending shelf life?
• What are the differences between primary, secondary, and advanced food processing methods?
• Can you identify some foods that undergo primary processing? What about secondary and advanced processing?

After collecting responses for each question we'll make a discussion and conclusions with the related slides of the following presentation:

https://view.genially.com/6697b51d15554b22acf76db4/presentation-overview-of-food-processing

STEP 4: Practice: Simple Lab Tasks experimenting Food Processing Methods

Students in national teams will experiment the following tasks so to beter understand the Food Processing Methods:

Task 1: Dehydration

Objective: To understand the principle of removing water from food to preserve it.

Materials: Apple slices, banana slices, lemon slices, paper towels, drying racks, and a sunny location.

Procedure:

• Slice the fruits into thin, even pieces.
• Place the slices on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
• Arrange the slices on drying racks and place them in a sunny location.
• Observe the slices daily and note the changes in texture and color.
• Compare the dehydrated fruits to fresh fruits.

Task 2: Pasteurization

Objective: To understand the basic principle of pasteurization.

Materials: Raw milk (from a trusted source), a thermometer, a saucepan, and clean bottles.

Procedure:

• Heat the raw milk to 63°C  for 30 minutes.
• Cool the milk rapidly to below 10°C.
• Pour the pasteurized milk into clean bottles.
• Compare the taste and shelf life of pasteurized milk with raw milk (if available).

Task 3: Fermenting vegetables (pickling)

Objective: To understand the basic principle of fermentation.

Materials:

• A clean glass jar with a lid (mason jar preferred)
• Vegetables of your choice (cauliflower florets, carrots, cucumbers, etc.)
• Water
• Salt
• Optional spices (dill seeds, peppercorns, garlic cloves)

Procedure:

1. Wash your chosen vegetables and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
2. Fill the jar loosely with the vegetables, leaving about an inch of headspace at the top.
3. In a separate container, mix one tablespoon of salt with every cup of water. Stir until the salt dissolves.
4. Add your favorite pickling spices like dill seeds, peppercorns, or even garlic cloves to the jar. (Optional)
5. Pour the brine solution over the vegetables in the jar, ensuring all pieces are submerged.
6. Tightly secure the lid on the jar.
7. Choose a warm location out of direct sunlight to store your jar.
8. Observe your jar daily:

• Look for bubbles forming in the brine - a sign of active fermentation.
• You might notice a slight cloudy appearance in the brine - this is normal.
• Taste a small piece of the vegetables after a few days. As they ferment, they will become more sour and tangy.

Task 4: Sensory Evaluation

Objective: To develop sensory evaluation skills.

Materials: Different types of the same food product (e.g., different brands of apple juice).

Procedure:

• Provide each team with a sample of each product.
• Ask students to evaluate the products based on taste, smell, and appearance.
• Discuss the results as a class and identify the preferred product.

NOTE: After implementing each task, upload to the related page's twinboard (on twinspace) photos or recordings and your observations.

STEP 5: Opinion essay

Students will work in national groups or pairs and will watch the following video summarizing what they learned:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhFy_zi2Njg

Then they will use their notes on what they learned about the methods of food processing and will discuss with their peers and will express their opinion ion the essential question: "How does food processing impact your daily life?" to the Twinspace related forum. Students can also add photos from experimenting with food processing methods in the Twinspace's Twinboard, on the related page.

Besides observation data gathered through implementaion regarding engagement, teamwork, and results, students will evaluated by using the genial.ly responses data. 

Food system has many interconnected parts that work collaboratively to the food path from farm to fork. This affects our natural resources and environment but also individual and population health.  Additionaly, food processing offers significant benefits like extended shelf life, increased safety through methods like pasteurization, and creation of new and convenient food options. However, it can also present challenges like potential nutrient loss in some processes, reliance on additives and preservatives, and environmental impacts associated with industrial food production.

A deep understanding of the complex interconnections within the food system, including food processing, is needed by all so to be able to develop strategies that promote sustainability, ensure food security, reduce waste, protect the environment, and improve public health outcomes.

• https://view.genially.com/66950af7261a24c5b5e241d9/learning-experience-didactic-unit-food-systems as an updated version of 
• https://www.eufic.org/en/food-production/article/what-is-processed-food
• https://byjus.com/biology/food-processing/
• https://view.genially.com/6697b51d15554b22acf76db4/presentation-overview-of-food-processing

This WebQuest was edited by a teacher of 1st EPAL Nafpaktou, Greece, as part of the activities of the "Mediterranean Diet for Overall Health" (MedDiet4Health) Erasmus+ project (Project number: 2023-2-EL01-KA210-VET-000183592).

By completing this, students will gain a deeper understanding of food systems and a basic understanding of scientific principles behind different food processing methods. Additionally, they will develop valuable observation skills and understand the cause-and-effect relationships within the experiments, critical thinking, practical skills by applying basic food processing techniques like salting, pickling, and dehydration.  They will also become familiar with using lab materials and their ability to follow directions carefully will be reinforced, which is an essential skill in any field.

This WebQuest reflects only the author’s views. The European Commission’s support for the production of this WebQuest does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.