Home Economics Jss 3 Third Term Scheme Of work

Week 1 FOOD STORAGE FACILITIES

CONTENT

1. Meaning of Food storage
2. Storage of Perishable Foods
3. Storage of Non-perishable Foods
4. Importance of Proper Storage of Food
5. Food Storage Facilities
6. Hints on Storage of Perishable and Non-perishable Foods

Meaning of Food storage

Food storage involves keeping preserved or purchased food in safe condition and suitable facilities for use.

Storage of Perishable Foods

Perishable foods are those foods that can spoil easily. Examples are fresh meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, milk and butter.

Storage of Non-perishable Foods

Non-perishable foods are those foods that do not spoil easily. These can keep for a very long time if stored properly. They include rice, maize, beans, flours, sugar, yam, dried maize.

Importance of Proper Storage of Food

Proper storage of food is important in the following ways:

1. It prevents food from spoilage.
2. It prevents loss of food nutrients.
3. It helps the home-makers to save money.
4. It saves time and energy of going to the market always.

Food Storage Facilities

Proper food storage requires the use of good storage facilities. Storage facilities include plastic containers, food cupboards, larders, shelves and racks, refrigerators and freezers.

Refrigerators and Freezers

Food spoilage can be prevented by storing foodstuffs under cold conditions. This is because the bacteria or micro-organisms which cause food spoilage are generally inactive under very cold conditions.

Refrigeration is the process of keeping food cold, often in a refrigerator. A refrigerator is any appliance which removes heat from things (e.g. foods) and keeps them cold.

Freezers are used for storing large quantities of frozen foods.

Chest Freezer

Hints on Storage of Perishable Foods

1. Fresh meat and fish can be stored in the freezer.
2. Fruits and vegetables can be stored at the lowest part of the refrigerator.
3. Prolonged storage of fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator can cause some of them to lose their taste, colour and nutritive value.
4. Perishable can also be processed into forms that can store for fairly long period.

Hints on Storage of Non-perishable Foods

1. Store only foods that free from weevils and other insects.
2. Store food in dry and well covered containers.
3. Foods such as beans, maize, soya beans, etc. can be stored for very long periods in air tight plastic containers.

EVALUATION

1. Explain the meaning of food storage.
2. Give three hints on storage of perishable foods.
3. Mention five storage facilities.
4. Differentiate between perishable and non perishable foods.

Week 2 RISK FACTORS IN FOOD PURCHASING

CONTENT

1. Risk Factors in Food Purchasing
2. Precautions to Ensure Safety in Food Purchase

Risk Factors in Food Purchasing

Risk factors in food purchasing are conditions that increase the chances of getting food borne illnesses. Foods can be purchased either raw or cooked. The following are risk factor in food purchasing.

1. Unsafe food source: Foods prepared for sale to the public must be bought from a source or permitted distributors.
2. Time and temperature abuse: When food is not kept at the right temperature either hot or cold.
3. Inadequate cooking temperature: Food should be cooked with proper temperature to kill bacteria.
4. Contaminated equipment: Wash, rinse and sanitize all equipment during preparation of food, e.g. Do not use the same cutting board for raw chickens and vegetables.
5. Poor personal hygiene: Washing of hands, wearing clean clothes, wearing hats or hair net during processing, preservation, preparation and sale of foods are necessary to prevent food borne illnesses.

Precautions to Ensure Safety in Food Purchase

To ensure safety in food purchasing, the following precautions should be observed:

1. The sell date tells the store the last date they should sell that specific package.
2. Buy only milk, cheese and other diary products from the refrigerated section.
3. Fruit juice from the refrigerated section of the store should have label which says pasteurized.
4. Go home directly from the grocery store after purchasing perishable foods. Be sure to refrigerate perishable foods within two hours of purchase.
5. Never buy food that is displayed in unsafe or unclean conditions.
6. Make sure canned goods are free of dents, cracks or bulging lids.
7. Purchase produce that is not bruised or noticeably damaged.
8. Avoid purchasing uncooked or raw food like meat, egg product or sea food in fast food ready to eat food eateries.
9. Purchase in bulk when you are sure of a proper storage space.
10. Buy foods in season to ensure freshness.
11. Purchase frozen food from a shop that buys more often than the ones that buys less often.

EVALUATION

1. State five safety rules to observe when purchasing foods from both supermarket and open market.

Week 3 FOOD PROCESSING METHODS

CONTENT

1. Introduction
2. Reasons for Processing Food
3. Food Processing Methods
4. Discussion on the Effects of Inappropriate Processing

Introduction

Most foods we buy are in their natural state, for example, yams, meat oranges, corn or maize. Many undergo different processes before we buy them as food. For example, gari, yam flour, wheat, tomato puree, canned fruit juices, corn flakes, spaghetti, etc. These foods are processed for different reasons and in different ways depending on the nature of food.

Spray washing of harvested tomatoes prior to processing

Reasons for Processing Food

The following are reasons for processing food:

1. For safety: Processing food kills micro-organisms and bacteria.
2. To improve flavour, texture, and over-all quality of food.
3. To turn it into a convenient size and shape for eating.

Food Processing Methods

The food processing methods include the following:

1. Milling: Milling is the process of grinding grains into flour, or meal, e.g. cassava flour, wheat flour, yam flour, rice flour, bean flour. It is also a process of extracting oil from nuts e.g. vegetable oil like olive oil, groundnut oil, etc.

2. Fermentation: Fermentation is the process whereby micro-organisms convert carbohydrate into simplest substances. For example, wine is the product of yeast fermentation in fruit juices; beer is the product of yeast fermentation in grain. Other favourite foods from fermentation are bread, cheese, yoghurt, gari, “akamu or ogi”, cassava, foo-foo, chocolate, tea, coffee, etc.

3. Addition of chemicals: Chemicals are added to packaged foods to preserve the food and make it edible after shipping and time spent on the store shelf. For example, salt, sugar, spices, artificial sweeteners are added to food during processing. Chemicals are also added to food to;

• create an unfavourable environment for the growth of the micro-organism.
• prevent chemical reaction from taking place in the food.
• dry up the moisture that is present in the food.

4. Sugaring: This is using sugar to process and preserve fruits in jams and jellies.

5. Pasteurization: This is a process of heating liquid food to a specific temperature for a specific period of time to slow spoilage of food caused by micro-organism in the food. Foods such as milk, cheese, beer, etc. can be pasteurized.

6. Canning: This is a method where food contents are processed and sealed in an air-tight container. Examples are canned fruits and vegetables.

7. Sterilization: This is food processing method that uses heat to kill micro-organisms. Examples of foods processed by sterilization include most canned foods.

8. Blanching: This is the process of using hot water or steam to stop the action of enzymes that change colour, texture, flavor and nutritional value of vegetables. Blanching is used before canning vegetables.

9. Drying: This can be sun drying, oven drying, or smoking. It is mostly used for meat, fish, nuts, cereals, etc.

10. Commercial freezing: This process is used for frozen fish and meat sold in shops and markets. It causes foods to freeze very quickly creating smaller ice crystals than home freezing. The quality of food is also maintained.

Discussion on the Effects of Inappropriate Processing

Week FOOD PRESERVATION METHODS

CONTENT

1. Food Preservation Methods
2. Guidelines to Keep Food Safe

Food Preservation Methods

There are different methods of food preservation. The commonly used ones in Nigeria are:

1. Drying: This is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. It is the process of reducing the moisture (water) content in the food to create unfavorable condition for the growth of bacteria. Drying also reduces the size and weight of the food making it more portable. Ways of drying include:

• Sun drying
• Oven drying
• Drying with dehydration

Examples of food preserved by drying include meat, fruits, vegetables, cereals, cassava, etc.

2. Smoking: This is the process of preserving food by exposing the food to smoke from wood. Such foods as fish, meat and some root crops are preserved by smoking. Some cases, the smoked food are later subjected to solar or sun drying.

3. Freezing and refrigeration: Freezing foods lowers the temperature and prevents the growth of microorganisms. Freezing is a method in which food is kept in freezer so that it becomes frozen very quickly. Examples of food preserved by freezing include; meat, fish, chicken, beef, vegetable, fruits, some cooked foods like soup, stews, etc.

4. Canning: This is done by sealing food in an air tight containers and applying heat. It is commonly used for fruits and many vegetables.

5. Pickling: This is the process of dipping food in dibble liquid chemicals that prevent the growth of micro-organism. Foods preserved with this method are mostly perishable foods. Examples of such chemicals include vinegar, alcohol and vegetable oil.

6. Salting: Salting preserves food by drawing out moisture from the food. Lack of moisture kills micro- organism in the food and hence prevents spoilage. It is commonly used to preserve meat and stock fish.

Guidelines to Keep Food Safe

Keeping food safe prevents food-borne illnesses. The following are ways of keeping food safe:

1. Use safe procedure for each process of handling food especially in preparation and cooking.
2. Keep the food store, kitchen and dining room clean at all times.
3. Use the correct cleaning agents and methods in washing cooking utensils, plates, etc.
4. Store cooked and uncooked foods separately and correctly to avoid contamination.
5. Observe good personal hygiene by washing hands, wearing clean clothes and apron during preparation and serving of food.
6. Use proper pest control measures in kitchen and food store.
7. Foods for sale should be properly covered, stored and labeled.
8. Government agencies such as FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) and SON (Standard Organization of Nigeria) must control the supply of foods in the market.
9. Extension services workers should guide farmers in planting and harvesting of foods.

EVALUATION

1. Discuss five food preservation methods.
2. Mention six ways of keeping food safe.

Week 4 CONSUMER RIGHTS AND CHALLENGES

CONTENT

1. Definition of Consumer
2. Rights of the Consumer
3. Challenges of the Consumer

Definition of Consumer

A consumer is anyone who buys and uses goods and services.

Rights of the Consumer

The following are the rights of the consumer

1. The right to safety. Whatever goods and services made available to the consumer should be safe for consumption.
2. The rights to be informed about the goods and services he is paying for. The consumer needs to be educated and informed about issues relating to what he is consuming.
3. The right to choose what he wants. The consumer should not be forced to accept an undesirable good or service.
4. The right to be heard. The consumer should be allowed to express his/her views about the available goods and services.

Challenges of the Consumer

Consumers face a lot of challenges, when they buy goods and services. Amongst them include the following:

1. Ignorance of consumer rights.
2. Lack of communication means to inform consumers on their rights.
3. There are limited numbers of consumer protection council officers where consumers should make their complaint.
4. Slow redress process.
5. Uncontrolled sale of hazardous and fake products.
6. Consumers interest do not receive due consideration at appropriate forum.
7. There are no definite standards by industries and professional bodies to safeguard the interest of the consumers.

EVALUATION

1. Who is a consumer?
2. Mention four rights of a consumer.
3. State six challenges of the consumer.