Describe the process of bringing a food from its original source to the

consumer.

Part Two

The Food Supply in the United States

• Begins with the PRODUCERS– Farms, ranches, fisheries– Large Producers are usually more

efficient and help meet global food needs, but, they may stress the land and require more fertilizers and pesticides, raising costs and potential health concerns. Long distance shipping can further raise costs and decreasing food quality.

– Small farms tend to stay local and are usually good for the environment as a result of less transporting.

The Food Supply in the United States

• Continues to the PROCESSORS– Various processes can

change the characteristics of the food and extend the life of the quality of the food.

Food Processors Make it Happen!

Clean and Package

Dry and Ground and package

Soak, pulverize, treat with acid and package

More steps

corn

How Do Processors Preserve Shelf Life?

• Shelf Life is the amount of time a food maintains quality.• A Shelf Stable food does not need refrigeration• Methods to Extend Shelf Life include:

– Canning – sealing in airtight metal or glass and then heating to destroy harmful microorganisms

– Freezing – slows the growth of harmful microorganisms– Curing – adding salt, spices, sugar and or sodium nitrate to slow the

growth of harmful microorganisms– Drying – removing the moisture needed for the growth of harmful

microorganisms– Freeze Drying – freezing first and then drying to retain flavor, texture

and nutrients better– Controlled Atmosphere Storage – packaged with a specific mixture of

nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide

Processors Can Also Use Additives

• Some food additives occur naturally• Some food additives are chemical

combinations created in a lab• Over 3000 are in use• Monitored by the FDA – Food and Drug

Administration• Have specific uses

Additives are used to:

• Add Flavor – growing and processing conditions can cause loss of or inconsistent flavors

• Improving Nutrition• Increasing Shelf Life – delaying spoilage• Maintaining texture – which can be lost during

processing• Helping foods age to create new foods

What’s In Your Tank?

Objective:Recognize how technology impacts

our food supply

What’s In Soda?

Video

Set with your research team and gather answers to worksheet while viewing

video. Everyone needs their own copy, but you can confer.

The Processors are also in charge of Packaging

• Packaging needs to preserve quality, shape and appearance of the product.

Stay tuned

The Team So Far…

• Producers• Processors

Joining Us Now…

• Distributors – a network of trucks, train, and planes

• Retailers• Last but not least --- The Consumers

The process of bringing food to the consumer from it’s original source can be simple or complex

as it passes through producers, processors, distributors, and retailers.

Wrap it Up

1. Use today’s information to correct questions----- of the pretest. 2. Select an additive card from the deck and use class resources to locate the correct definition.