The Various Food Product Development Stages

By Liliana Mills


Foods development takes place in a process consisting of several stages. They have to undergo evaluation and testing in such stages to ensure they meet the standards set. The brief is the earliest food product development stage, usually involving finding out the problem to be looked at. A good example is the production of pizza for customers who are health conscious.

Market research is what follows the brief stage. This research means finding out the consumers preferences in certain products. The buying habits of the consumers together with market trends are studied. The study is carried out in form of filling questionnaires, conduction of surveys and phone interviews. Recalling the pizza example, the market research can study if consumers would prefer a low fat pizza.

The next stage is the design specification, which is the first effort to list what is needed in the products. The shape, size, cost, shelf life, equipment and weight are included, together with sensory characteristics the likes of taste, texture and appearance. After these design specifications, preliminary thoughts are generated. The ideas are then shortlisted with reference to screening, in which a number of ideas are selected on a basis of those meeting the design requirement very well.

To test sensory qualities is vital. The results undergo analysis in a way that products are either changed or improved. This is referred to as sensory analysis. Then, products that are similar undergo testing for a certain characteristic like saltiness, in a process called ranking tests. With the use of random names, samples are coded by testers who sort them from the most salty to the least salty.

In a rating test, products are tested to determine if two of them have a noticeable difference in a certain characteristic. Testers can for instance perform a rating test on a newly created food product version that is low fat to find out if it has any similarities with initial products. When performing the test, the testers are provided with two similar samples and one that is different, and they are supposed to pick the different one.

The profile test is the next stage, whereby the products profile is recorded as a diagram that is star-shaped. The judge rates the products features on a scale of five points, five having the highest and one the lowest. Any modification to the design features has to be made prior to the last manufacturing feature is made. For instance, after sensory testing, it may be revealed that the products are too spicy, hence the need for a modification of the ingredients.

All the information that the manufacturer requires to produce a certain products is listed in a manufacturing specification. In the specification, all the stages underwent during production are recorded, together with particulars of the characteristics like size, flavor, shape, and texture that are needed in the final product. Moreover, the specifications list places where the manufacturer can utilize standard components. These are pre-prepared ingredients for making particular products.

When finishing up food product development, the final step involves quality control. The food product is ensured that it meets all the standards through quality assurance. Quality control checks exist at significant stages of production, to alert the manufacturer should an error occur.




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