This publication sets out a detailed systems analysis approach to the small and medium agro-food industries sector in Latin America and the Caribbean region, in order to promote food safety and quality as well as enterprise productivity and competitiveness. The issues are discussed from food engineering and technology perspectives, in light of the complex issues faced by small food industries in the current trading system.

Today, in a world with abundant food, more than 700 million people are chro- cally undernourished. Over the next 20 years, the world’s population will probably double. The global food supply would need to double or to triple for the larger population to be fed adequately. Agriculture is closely linked to environmental quality in a variety of ways, and the challenge of our generation is how to feed a growing planet while maintaining the integrity of our ecological life-support system. The responsibility of governments for ensuring food security will grow proportionately with the growth of populations, and governments bear a special responsibility for promoting agricultural inputs. Agriculture in the 21st century, will certainly focus increasingly on adapting modern technologies to local farming systems, needs and environments. Worldwide climatic changes have been raising concerns about potential changes to crop yields and production systems. Such concerns include the ability to acc- modate these uncertain effects in order to ensure an adequate food supply for an increasing population. What can be done concretely to use agriculture to address some of the fundamental issues of today’s world? We must recognize that agric- ture is part of the solution and not just a problem. Agricultural development is a key to social stability and equity in many parts of the world. It can help to al- viate the subtle and unspoken fears of modernization and the space of change if innovation is handled transparently.

While large-scale juice processing is the subject of many textbooks, this publication aims at the gap in information regarding juice processing at the small-and medium-scale agro-industry level. It presents technical and economic information designed to address issues affecting medium-size juice processors in developing countries.

Contains information on post-harvest handling and marketing operations and storage of fresh and processed products. Highlights technology which, when combined, has a positive and synergistic effect in preventing biochemical and physicochemical reactions and microbial growth - the main causes of quality losses in fruits and vegetables. Suggested methodologies combine technologies such as mild heat treatment, water activity reduction, lowering of the pH and use of anti-microbial substances to realize the potential of minimally processed, high-moisture fruit products. These relatively new technologies have been successfully applied to several important tropical and non-tropical fruits in different countries of Latin America.

This publication provides information on the processing of palm oil fruits for the extraction of palm oil and palm kernel oil by small-scale mills in Africa. It is hoped that this will help promote the improvement of yield and quality of palm oil production and contribute to the modernisation of small-scale palm oil factories in Africa.

Written by world government and industry experts, this book focuses on the application of new seafood inspection systems that ensure the public health while providing a reasonable environment for business. International trade has experienced very dynamic developments over the last few years, including new international trade agreements and new approaches in food safety inspection. The focus has shifted from traditional end product inspection to modern, preventive methods. Covering all aspects of the industry, Fish Inspection, Quality Control, and HACCP: A Global Focus aids readers in providing the safest possible high quality seafood to the ever-demanding public.