Question

Differentiate between the terms food preservatives and food processing with appropriate examples.

Answer 1

Food preservatives – are substances or chemicals – added to food or beverages to

1. Prevent decomposition by bacteria or microbes.
2. Reduce the risk of foodborne infections.
3. Preserve the nutritional quality of food.

Preservatives	Food items
Benzoic acid	Jams, pickles, carbonated drinks.
Nitrates	Meat products
Sulphur compounds	Beverages, wines, etc

Food processing mostly involves both packaging and preservation.
Food processing is performed to turn food into something that is more palatable and convenient to eat.

Examples: cakes and biscuits