eChapter Name: Principles and Guidelines for the Establishment of Food Processing Plants
9789395319508
eBook Name: HORTICULTURAL CROPS
by P C Sharma, Anil Gupta
5.1. Introduction
Food processing units range from home-based businesses to large-scale processing plants. The food processing sector is a highly fragmented industry which includes fruit, vegetables, dried, preserved, canned, pulps, pickles, chutneys, milk, dairy products, ready-to-serve products, frozen desserts, meat, poultry, marine products, grain processing, beer and alcoholic beverages, consumer, convenience and packaged food, soft drinks etc.
The main objective of fruit and vegetable processing is to supply wholesome, safe, nutritious and acceptable food to consumer throughout the year. Fruit and vegetable processing also aim to replace import of products such as squashes, jams, tomato sauces, pickles, etc., besides earning foreign exchange by exporting finished or semi-processed products. The fruit and vegetable processing industries are also established in the developing countries due to following reasons:
• Reduction in fruits and vegetables post harvest losses
• Industrialization policy of the government
• Generate both rural and urban employment
• Improve farmer s nutrition by self consumption of processed fruits and vegetables during off season