Production & Processing Activities
Short Notes with Process Flow Diagrams
Bakery | Milk Processing Plant | Pharmaceutical Plant | Syrup Manufacturing | Currency Manufacturing Unit
1. Bakery
A bakery converts raw ingredients such as flour, sugar, yeast, fat and water into baked products (bread,
biscuits, cakes) through mixing, fermentation and controlled baking. Temperature and time control at the
fermentation and baking stages directly govern texture, volume and shelf life of the product.
Key Processing Steps
• Selection and weighing of raw materials (flour, sugar, yeast, fat, water, additives)
• Mixing/kneading to develop gluten and form a uniform dough
• Fermentation (proofing) to allow yeast action and dough rise
• Dividing, moulding and shaping of dough pieces
• Baking in oven at controlled temperature (≈180–250°C)
• Cooling to room temperature before packing
• Packaging and dispatch to maintain freshness
Process Flow Diagram
Fig. 1 — Line diagram of bakery production process
2. Milk Processing Plant
A milk processing plant handles raw milk received from collection centres and converts it into safe,
standardized and packaged dairy products. The core objective is to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms
(pasteurization) while preserving nutritional quality, achieved through a chain of thermal and mechanical unit
operations.
Key Processing Steps
• Reception, weighing and platform testing of raw milk
• Filtration/clarification to remove physical impurities
• Chilling and cold storage (≈4°C) to arrest bacterial growth
• Pasteurization (e.g., HTST: 72°C for 15 seconds) to kill pathogens
• Homogenization to break down fat globules for uniform consistency
• Standardization of fat and SNF (solids-not-fat) content
• Packaging (pouch/carton/bottle) under aseptic conditions
• Cold storage and refrigerated dispatch
Process Flow Diagram
Fig. 2 — Line diagram of milk processing plant
3. Pharmaceutical Plant
A pharmaceutical manufacturing plant produces dosage forms (tablets, capsules, syrups, injectables) under
strict Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions. Every stage is accompanied by in-process quality
control to ensure accuracy of dosage, purity and sterility, since the product directly affects human health.
Key Processing Steps
• Procurement and quality testing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and excipients
• Accurate weighing and dispensing as per formulation
• Granulation/mixing to obtain a uniform blend
• Compression (for tablets) or filling (for capsules)
• Coating of tablets, if specified (film/sugar coating)
• In-process quality control (hardness, weight variation, disintegration)
• Packaging in blister/strip/bottle under controlled environment
• Final quality release, storage and dispatch
Process Flow Diagram
Fig. 3 — Line diagram of pharmaceutical plant process
4. Syrup Manufacturing
Syrup manufacturing (pharmaceutical or food-grade) involves preparing a concentrated sugar solution as a
base, into which active ingredients, flavours and colours are incorporated. Filtration and quality testing ensure
clarity, correct viscosity and absence of microbial contamination before filling.
Key Processing Steps
• Procurement of raw materials — sugar, purified water, active ingredients, flavour/colour
• Preparation of sugar syrup base by dissolving and heating
• Filtration of the syrup base to remove undissolved particles
• Addition of active ingredients, flavouring and colouring agents
• Mixing/homogenization for uniform composition
• Quality control testing (viscosity, pH, assay, microbial limits)
• Filling and bottling under hygienic conditions
• Capping, labelling and packaging for dispatch
Process Flow Diagram
Fig. 4 — Line diagram of syrup manufacturing process
5. Currency Manufacturing Unit
A currency (banknote) manufacturing unit produces legal tender notes with multiple embedded security
features to prevent counterfeiting. Production proceeds from specialized security paper through several
distinct printing stages, each adding a different visual or tactile security element, followed by rigorous
inspection before sealed dispatch.
Key Processing Steps
• Manufacturing of security paper with watermark and security thread
• Offset printing of background design on both sides
• Intaglio printing — raised printing for portrait and tactile security features
• Numbering by letterpress printing (unique serial numbers)
• Inspection and quality checking of printed sheets
• Cutting of sheets into individual notes
• Bundling and packaging of notes
• Sealed dispatch to currency chests/RBI under high security
Process Flow Diagram
Fig. 5 — Line diagram of currency note manufacturing process