What is food technology?

The following steps may give you good guidance while you are planning and producing your product. The various steps are presented diagrammatically and then the meaning of each is explained briefly.

1. Analyse the suggested design

Planning and making of the food product begins with the analysis of the suggested design. Here is the suggested design for this module:

Plan and produce an energy bar to be eaten by sports people to improve their energy levels before an important sports meeting.

Analysing the suggested design carefully makes it clear that the successful food product has to:

• be in the shape of a bar;
• release energy after being eaten; and
• be attractive to sportsmen and women.
• Collect research results

It is wise to take a look at similar products and ideas. Do consult recipe books, magazines and newspapers. Visit several cafes and shops and do not hesitate to talk to people about their preferences and dislikes. Try to arrange an interview with a dietician to discuss the suggested design and study the labels of similar existing products thoroughly.

1. Write out a specification

The specification actually is a summary of the prerequisites that are listed in the suggested design. In this instance the specification will be as follows:

• The shape of the sweet must be that of a bar.
• The ingredients must be tasty and the bar must therefore taste good.
• The ingredients must be of such a nature that energy is released quickly.
• The ingredients must not run the risk of being regarded as a stimulant.
• It must be affordable.
• Name and description of the product.
• Size, shape and appearance.
• Ingredients and amounts.
• Recipe (how it is made).
• Shelf life and storage requirements.
• Planning and production of your food product

Some people think that there is only one way of planning and production. When you are busy planning and producing your energy bar, you really must allow your ability to think creatively and work out solutions and suggestions to come to the fore. Accept that the way you think will be different to your friend's way of thinking and that you will do things differently. You could ask your friend's opinion for evaluating your product, but never expect your product to be similar to your friend's.

Here is some useful information that you could apply while planning and producing your energy bar:

1. Evaluation of the product

It is important to accept that your first attempt may not produce the best product. Make use of your friends to evaluate the acceptability of your energy bar. Also do not be oversensitive about criticism. Apply the recommendations of your friends and remember that those who might buy your product will be looking at it as critically as your friends. Do make use of a tasting panel. Tasting panels are used to give a number of people the opportunity to judge a product. It is advisable to ask more than one person to give an opinion on the success of your product. The larger the group, the more varied the opinions that you will get. Try to adjust your product to suit the requirements of most of the people in the tasting panel.

Assessment