Biochemical changes associated with the processing of foods

Dr.A.P.Gandhi
Principal Scientist (Biochemistry)
Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering
Bhopal-462038 (MP)

Food processing is an age-old activity carried out at different levels since time
unmemorable. Use of wheat and barley for human consumption was recorded about
10000 years ago. Grinding them in to flour was extremely laborious. Mechanical
engineering came in to existence to use water and wind as sources of power. About 4000
years ago the development of production of butter, cheese, wines and beer was recorded
in Egypt. During Roman times the production of gourmet cheeses and smoke cheeses
were seen. 19th century observed the modern food processing. Processing generally lead
to a loss of quality. The people as compared to raw materials like some processed flavors
and texture. Modern methods of processing like chilled storage, maintaining low aw,
using irradiation (at low levels up to 10 kilo grays) and pasteurization extended the shelf
life of the products over conventional means for long shelf life. One of the latest
processing techniques is HTST combined with aseptic packaging. Its effects are mainly
cooking and texturization than preservation. It is usually performed on powder mixes of
relatively low moisture and results in the formation of solid foods of porous structure and
distinct shape. It involves cooking, expansion and texturising of cereal and vegetable
protein ingredients. The extrusion may be dry or wet. In the former case the energy
requirements are less. Some of the well-known processes are the cooking of starchy
materials to increase their susceptibility for enzyme attack for fermentation. Best example
is the extrusion of oil seeds like soybean. Stabilization of rice bran containing 20% oil but
has very strong natural lipases. Extrusion at 140oC inactivates the lipase. Baking of flat
breads, crackers and other items involves in improving the textural and nutritional
qualities of the end products. The processing methods improve the safety and health,
thereby increases the life expectancy. Use of food preservatives and other additives
destroy the food borne infections. The processed foods bring a sense of well being after a
good meal. Most of the processed plant foods contain traces of phytochemicals, which
exhibit control on health. Various changes like enzyme inactivation, antinutritional
factors destruction such as TI in soybean, gossypol in cotton, aflatoxin inactivation,
formation of phytate complexes, microorganism destruction, There are a number of
biochemical changes that occur during processing foods in their macro and micro nutrient
levels. The major biochemical changes are described as under:
Changes in the carbohydrates:
• Loss of crystallinity in the starch granules.
• Amylose to migrate in to the water to form gel. Amylopectin appears to be
effected greatly.
• Monoglycerides can interact with the amylose to form complexes exhibiting
unique properties. Reduces the stickiness.
• Fructose, glucose, sucrose and raffinose are decreased due to Maillard reaction.
• Increases the susceptibility to amylase hydrolysis mainly due to hydration of
starch granules and partial solubilization of starch molecules.
• Dextrinization.

Changes in the proteins:

• Initial denaturation, cross-linking between adjacent molecules occurs in the form
of ionic and covalent bonds.
• Available lysine, cysteine, arginine, histidine, aspartic acid and serine may be
reduced.
• Improves the digestibility due to inactivation of antinutritional factors such as
proteolytic inhibitors and other physiologically active anti nutrients under mild
heat treatments.
• Severe heat affects the digestibility.
• Biological availability of the amino acids may be affected.
• Sulphur amino acids are sensitive to oxidation and desulphurization.
• Reducing sugars lead to decreased available lysine.
• Inactivation of urease and other antimetabolites.
Changes in the lipids:
• Oxidation, isomerization or hydrogenation mechanism may occur.
• Ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids may be affected slightly due to the
complexes of monoglycerides and free fatty acids with amylose.
• Formation of trans fatty acids.
• A decrease in extractable lipids during dough mixing and baking.

Changes in minerals:
• Availability of trace elements namely zinc is lowered in vegetable foods than
animal foods.
• During baking iron become less available.
• Toasting and boiling effect the ability of fiber components to bind with minerals
due to formation of lignin like substances.
• Cereals are rich in B vitamins. Thiamin is sensitive where as others are
comparatively stable. Riboflavin is also affected.
• C vitamin is also sensitive.
• Improves the extractability of vitamin A.

Changes in dietary fiber:

Solubilized the dietary fiber and increased the availability to fermentation in colon. This
could influence the fecal bulking capacity of the fiber.

The cooking reactions are greatly influenced by the composition of the food materials
like electrolytes/bases, fat, surface-active agents, amino acids and reducing sugars.
NaHCO3 increases the flavor and expansion of cereal based foods. Monoglycerides
control puffing of snack items and altering the water content. A number of industrial
processes are involved in processing the foods namely thawing-tempering, cooking,
blending, proofing, baking, roasting, pasteurization, sterilization, drying and microwave
heating. During cooking process the heat is transferred to food. Heat and mass transfer
with in the food and between foods and cooking medium will take place. Heat is applied
in different ways to the foodstuffs to increase the flavors and the taste and increase the
storage time. When the heat is applied to a foodstuff chemical and physical reactions and
microbiological destruction takes place. These reactions may be desired or not desired. In
frying, roasting and grilling the heating media are liquid fat, heated surfaces, air or
radiators. Boiling at 100oC and in frying/roasting/grilling the weight losses occur. In
boiling the heat is transferred through convection. Blanching helps in retaining the color.
During processing non-enzymatic browning occurs due to high temperature with low
water content in the foods. There is also decrease in protein digestibility and non-
availability of amino acids. Dry heat treatment as in roasting or baking is more damaging
than autoclaving or pressure-cooking. Maximum browning occurs at Aw 0.3-0.7.Hence
careful control of processing conditions is required at all stages of processing to attain the
desired quality food product. For this purpose now-a-days HACCP is being followed.