Food Production (AQA GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition)

After slaughtering, meat is hung for a minimum of a week, bones are removed and the carcass is jointed

Then the meat is processed by:

• salting to remove water

• smoking to give a unique flavour

• chilling to store ready-to-cook meat

• freezing for long-term storage

• canning e.g. corned beef

• marinading to give flavour and using chemicals to tenderise the meat

• mechanical tenderisation or mincing

After being caught, fish may be sold as whole fish, or cut into steaks, tail pieces, fillets and cutlets

The fish is processed by:

• salting to remove water

• smoking to give a unique flavour

• pickling in vinegar to add flavour and tenderise

• freezing to maintain the freshness

• chilling to store ready-to-cook fish

• canning with oil, brine or spring water e.g. tuna

After harvesting processes might include:

• sorting into sizes

• removal of leaves and roots

• filtering out of damaged products

• washing

• wrapping

• peeling

• juice extraction

Processes to prevent decay might include:

• temperature and moisture control

• coating with wax

• drying

• blanching

• preserving in sugar or acid

• freezing or canning

Milling of wheat to make flour

• cleaning to remove impurities

• grinding to crush wheat into flour

• sifting to separate out different grades of flour

Milk is treated by:

• pasteurisation: heating milk to kill harmful bacteria without affecting taste

• Ultra High Temperature (UHT): heating milk to a higher temperature for a shorter time to extend the shelf life

• sterilisation: heating milk to a very high temperature to destroy all microorganisms

• micro-filtration: passing milk through fine filters to remove microorganisms without heating

Flour into bread

There are four key stages in bread making:

1. Mixing: Combine the dry ingredients (flour, yeast, salt, and sugar) in a bowl with water and any fat (like butter or oil) while mixing

2. Kneading: Kneading develops gluten, which provides structure and elasticity to the dough

3. Fermentation: Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until it has doubled in size

4. Shaping: This can involve forming it into a tight ball, a loaf shape, or other specific shapes

5. Proving: Leave to rise again until it has doubled in size

6. Baking: Place the dough in the preheated oven and bake until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom

7. Cooling on a rack: Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack to cool

Flour into pasta

1. Mixing the dough: Combining eggs and 00 flour

2. Kneading the dough: Pressing it with the heel of your hand, folding it, and turning it

3. Resting the dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature

4. Rolling out the dough: With a rolling pin or pasta machine

5. Shaping the pasta: Cut by hand or with a machine e.g. spaghetti, linguini

6. Drying the pasta: If it isn't to be cooked immediately, the pasta can be left to air dry for later use

Milk into cheese

1. Heat treatment: Heat the milk to a specific temperature to kill harmful bacteria while preserving beneficial bacteria for fermentation

2. Adding cultures: Introduce starter cultures (bacteria) to the milk. These cultures convert lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid, which lowers the pH of the milk and begins the coagulation process

3. Adding rennet: Add rennet, an enzyme that further coagulates the milk, forming curds (solid) and whey (liquid)

4. Setting: Allow the milk to sit undisturbed until a firm curd forms

5. Cutting: Cut the curd into cubes

6. Separating curds and whey: Drain off the whey

7. Pressing: Apply pressure to the moulds to expel more whey and compact the curds

8. Salting : To produce correct texture and flavour

9. Aging time: The aging period can range from a few days to several years, depending on the cheese type

Milk into yoghurt

1. Pasteurization: Heat the milk to kill bacteria and denature proteins

2. Cooling: Cool the milk to the optimal temperature for culturing

3. Inoculation: Add and mix the lactic acid bacteria (starter culture) into the milk

4. Incubation: Maintain the mixture at a consistently warm temperature to allow fermentation

5. Cooling and setting: Refrigerate the yogurt to set and develop its final texture

6. Straining (optional): Strain to create thicker yogurt varieties like Greek yogurt

7. Flavouring and sweetening (optional): Add flavours, fruit or sweeteners

8. Storage: Store in the refrigerator for future consumption