Unit 1. From the History of the Food Industry

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Identify the oldest branches of the food industry
- Understand the historical development of food processing
- Explain the connection between food technology and chemical technology
- Use Past Simple Tense correctly in context

Theory

The food industry has a long history. Almost every sector of the food industry had a recognized trade guild, especially those dealing with grain and bread, meat and meat products, fish and fish products.

Generations of experience went into the development of the food sector. In the past, milling and baking were highly developed industries. For making bread, there were both private and public ovens. Both honey and olive oil were commonly purchased and sold. Cheese and butter have been produced for thousands of years.

The history of the food business truly goes back as long as the history of modern chemistry, because it was seen as a component of chemical technology. Thus, the sections on starch, sugar production, cane sugar, beet sugar, fermentation, winemaking, beer brewing, bread baking, vinegar production, and essential oils were included in the book "Chemical Technology" that was published in 1870.

The food industry fully developed with the growth of the processing industries and with improvement in food machines, transportation, refrigeration, storage and packaging.

Beginning in the early 1900s, the food business began to grow through industrialization and processing. Food began to be processed industrially during the Second World War to facilitate food preservation, storage, and transportation.

Key Terms

food industry, trade guild, milling, baking, fermentation, food processing, preservation, storage, packaging, industrialization, consumer, supplier

Exercise

1. Answer the questions:
1. Which branches of the food industry had a well-defined trade guild?
2. How did the food industry develop?
3. Which branches were well developed in ancient times?
4. Was food technology considered part of chemical technology?
5. What influenced the full development of the food industry?

2. Match the words with their definitions:
1. food 5. snack
2. cheap 6. cook
3. food industry 7. storage
4. grain 8. consumer

A. the process of keeping something until it is needed
B. something eaten between meals
C. to prepare food using heat
D. something living creatures take for energy
E. low in price
F. the industry of food production
G. wheat or other cereal
H. a person who buys goods

Mini Quiz

1. Cheese and butter have been produced for ________ of years.
a) hundreds
b) thousands
c) millions

2. The book “Chemical Technology” was published in ________.
a) 1870
b) 1900
c) 1945

3. Food processing is any process a food product undergoes after leaving the ________ producer.
a) secondary
b) primary
c) final