Publisher's Synopsis
The proportion of fresh food preserved by freezing is highly related to the degree of economic development in a society. As countries become wealthier, their demand for high-valued commodities increases, primarily due to the effect of income on the consumption of high-valued commodities in developing countries. The commodities preserved by freezing are usually the most perishable ones, which also have the highest price. Therefore, the demand for these commodities is less in developing areas. Besides, the need for adequate technology for freezing process is the major drawback of developing countries in competing with industrialized countries. The frozen food industry requires accompanying developments and facilities for transporting, storing, and marketing their products from the processing plant to the consumer. Thus, a large amount of capital investment is needed for these types of facilities. For developing countries, especially in rural or semi-rural areas, the frozen food industry has therefore not been developed significantly compared to other countries. In recent years, due to the changing consumer profile, the frozen food industry has changed significantly. The major trend in consumer behavior documented over the last half century has been the increase in the number of working women and the decline in the family size. These two factors resulted in a reduction in time spent preparing food. The entry of more women into the workforce also led to improvements in kitchen appliances and increased the variability of ready-to-eat or frozen foods available in the market. Besides, the increased usage of microwave ovens, affecting food habits in general and the frozen food market in particular, as well as allowing rapid preparation of meals and greater flexibility in meal preparation. The frozen food industry is now only limited by imagination, an output of which increases continuously to supply the increasing demand for frozen products and variability.
