The science of food is the study of food components, their behavior under
different environmental conditions, process of harvesting, milling, exposure to
heat, cold, acid, alkalis etc. It covers all aspects of food raw material
production, handling, processing, distribution, marketing and final
consumption. For each food the processing methods evolved are based on
their composition in terms of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamin and
minerals. Now food is a global commodity. Today, the field of food science
has progressed from basic physical, chemical and biological reactions that
take place during processing to the fields of biotechnology, food engineering,
packaging and its effect on the consumer. New processing technologies now
aim at not only increasing the shelf life but also retaining maximum
organoleptic properties and qualities of fresh foods. The basic knowledge of
food, its composition, need, effects of processing etc is essential in order to
meet the demands of the market.