Thanks to Fruit and Vegetable Processing, we can now buy many processed products, from tinned vegetables and fruit, to juices, to fruit strips for kids, to frozen blueberries and apple pies for dessert. The main advantage of processed food over fresh food is that it does not spoil as quickly, and shelf lives can be many months. The challenge is keeping the nutrition in the food during the processing.

Working in a busy fruit or vegetable processing plant, you'll check boxes or bins of fruit and vegetables as they are delivered and organise weighing and storage. You'll prepare and sort them for processing and operate the machines for chemical treating, size grading, crushing or extracting juice.

You'll need to work quickly to maintain maximum freshness during processing and pay particular attention to sterilisation and quality procedures. Preservation may be effected by adding preservatives like salt and sugar, or by cooking. Whatever the methods used, you will learn plenty about food and these skills may lead to other careers you have yet to consider.