Task 1: Creating the raw material datasheet
- Time
- 01:00
- Grouping
- 4 students
Before any raw material enters the dehydrator or freeze-dryer, it must pass through "customs." Not every piece is suitable. As technicians, your mission is to check that the received batch meets the standards for processing. If the raw material fails, the final product will be a disaster.
In this activity, Lili must create the raw material datasheet. This will help her understand the raw material in detail: its characteristics, defects, and storage conditions.
If you want, you can use the attached model in PDF format.
📂 DOWNLOAD PDF (pdf - 39.66 KB )(pdf - 39.66 KB )
Rubric
| Excellent (10-9) | Very good (8-7) | Satisfactory (6-5) | Insufficient (<5) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characterization and Technical Specifications of the Raw Material (2a and 2b) | Accurately classify the vegetable (family, variety, and industrial use) and fully describe its physical, chemical (°Brix, pH), organoleptic, and basic microbiological parameters. (2.5) | Correctly classify the vegetable and describe its main characteristics, although some specific chemical or microbiological parameters used in the industry are missing. (1.75) | Classify the vegetable in a general way. The description of characteristics is incomplete or confuses chemical parameters with physical ones. (1.50) | Does not correctly identify the variety or family. The description of characteristics is vague, incorrect, or missing. (1) |
| Storage conditions (2d) | Clearly describe the storage conditions (temperature, relative humidity, light, and ventilation) to avoid losses. (2.5) | Correctly describe the basic storage conditions (cold or room temperature) but omit technical parameters (such as % RH). (1.75) | Indicates incomplete storage conditions or conditions that could compromise the shelf life of the vegetable. (1.50) | Does not describe minimum storage conditions or suggests methods that would damage the product. (1) |
| Defects and corrective measures (2e) | Fully describe physical, chemical, and biological defects (mold, pests) that make processing difficult or impossible. (2.5) | Identify the main defects (bruises or browning), focusing mainly on those visible to the naked eye. (1.75) | Lists some basic defects, but does not distinguish between an aesthetic defect and a serious hygienic defect. (1.50) | Is unable to identify defects that reduce the quality of the vegetable. (1) |
| Industrial applications (2c) | Clearly explain why the properties of the vegetable (sugars, fiber, water) make it suitable for dehydration or freeze-drying. (2.5) | Correctly link the vegetable to its most common industrial application, although with little explanation. (1.75) | Mentions generic industrial applications without explaining why they are suitable for this raw material. (1.50) | Does not identify industrial applications consistent with the type of raw material. (1) |
- Actividad
- Nombre
- Fecha
- Puntuación
- Notas
- Reiniciar
- Imprimir
- Aplicar
- Ventana nueva
Task 2: How much raw material does Lili need?
- Time
- 00:30
- Grouping
- Individual
Lili knows that in the food industry, whether drying in the sun or freeze-drying in a vacuum chamber, the golden rule is always the same: “What goes in must equal what comes out.”
As you may remember from the previous block, “Meri’s Snack”, the balance helped us calculate the total ingredients, because when candying fruit, sugar enters the fruit to preserve it. Today, with Lili, the challenge is the opposite. Instead of adding solids to replace water, we will remove the liquid component: water.
For Lili, the technical key is understanding that, even though water disappears by evaporation or sublimation in a vacuum, the solids in the fruit (the pulp) do not change. It is true that Lili can use small “protective shields” like citric acid, ascorbic acid, or sulfites to prevent browning (that unwanted dark color), but these technological aids are not meant to add weight or sweetness.
The amount of fiber and nutrients that Meri puts on the tray is the same as what Lili will keep in her astronaut bag; the only thing we have done is “remove the heavy luggage.” In Lili’s world, what is not water is the nutritional treasure of the fruit.
Lili already has everything ready in her aerospace laboratory. She has taken a representative sample of the batch and recorded the following in the lab:
Laboratory Data:
Thermogravimetric balance (Moisture): Shows that the fresh apple has 84% moisture.
Refractometer (°Brix): Shows a result of 12 °Brix.
Final Product: We want the apple chips to leave the dehydrator with 10% moisture.
The problem: If the space agency order is for 10 kg of dried apples, how many kilograms of fresh apples must be prepared on the peeling and cutting line.