Consumer preferences have shifted toward more convenient food options because of the fast-paced modern lifestyle and the thriving take-out food industry (Tang, Zhang, Law, & Mujumdar, 2023). This shift has led to increased consumption of prepared dishes, which are semifinished or finished products made from poultry, livestock, agricultural, and aquatic sources, combined with various auxiliary ingredients and subjected to preprocessing steps such as cutting, salting, mixing, forming, rolling, and seasoning (Guo, Zhang, Law, & Luo, 2023). Urbanization, socioeconomic development, changes in family structures, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the demand for ready-to-eat (RTE) food (Chen, Zhang, & Yang, 2020). Recently, a series of overviews have been conducted on sterilization technologies (Huang, Zhang, & Bhandari, 2019), physical fields (Yu, Zhang, Ju, Mujumdar, & Wang, 2022), nitrite control (Tang et al., 2023), and 3D printing (Guo, Zhang, et al., 2023) within the domain of prepared dishes. The production of prepared dishes involves multiple sectors, where central kitchens play a pivotal role in fostering synergies among related industries, enhancing production efficiency, and propelling the advancement of food industrialization. This review meticulously explores the innovations and challenges in the production of prepared dishes, offering a viewpoint rooted in central kitchen engineering. This fills a critical void in understanding the production of prepared dishes through the lens of central kitchen development.

Prepared dishes represent a technological extension of traditional preconditioned foods and industrially manufactured culinary products, reflecting the industrial expansion and technological transformation of culinary dishes through central kitchens (Li et al., 2022). The technological foundation for the development of prepared dishes was laid by the integration of early universal processing methods and modern food processing technologies (Guo, Zhang, et al., 2023; Yu et al., 2022). Additionally, to ensure the fundamental quality and safety of prepared dishes, the food processing industry has established good manufacturing practices, hazard analysis and critical control points, and quality management systems. The prepared dish industry originated in the United States in the 1960s; matured in Europe, Canada, and Japan during the 1980s; and has since gained worldwide popularity. Today, North America, Europe, Japan, and China play pivotal roles in the prepared dish market (Yu et al., 2022). For instance, in Japan, prepared dishes account for >60% of the market share. Moreover, in China, a populous country with significant production and consumption of ingredients, the prepared dish industry has evolved through three stages: the budding period (1990–2010), high-growth period in the B-segment (Business, 2010–2019), and the demand exploration period in the C-segment (Consumer, 2020–present). As depicted in Fig. 1A and B, the acceptance of prepared dishes by caterers and take-out merchants is increasing owing to the substantial increase in workforce, rent, and energy costs (Wang et al., 2021). For consumers, prepared dishes offer convenience through easy reheating and customization (Makinde et al., 2020). As shown in Fig. 1C, China's market data reveal distinct consumer segments based on age, city tier, purchase frequency, and distribution channel. The primary consumers in Tier 1 and 2 cities are married women aged 26–45 years, favoring online channels. In contrast, the middle-aged and elderly show limited interest, preferring offline channels. Acceptance in Tier 3 and 4 cities remains relatively low (Hasnan & Ramli, 2020). A cost analysis by Tharrey et al. (2020) showed that while homemade dishes may be cheaper in terms of ingredients and energy, industrially processed options are more cost-effective when factoring in time. Prepared dishes offer heightened convenience, taste, and safety compared with take-out (Kanzler, Manschein, Lammer, & Wagner, 2015).

Prepared dishes based on a central kitchen engineering represent a significant shift from traditional food processing methods. This shift emphasizes quantification, standardization, mechanization, and continuous production, leading to consistent quality, increased efficiency, and cost reduction (Tang et al., 2023). Flavor, taste, and appearance are significantly enhanced through preprocessing and preconditioning procedures. Further, quality is maintained through advanced sterilization, packaging, and cold-chain logistics. Moreover, optimal replication of flavor is ensured through effective reheating techniques. Integrating dish preparation processes with industrial equipment is the primary goal of advancing the prepared dish industry, promoting innovative industrialization to stimulate agricultural growth and showcase the diverse cuisines of various nations globally. They can be consumed as RTE meals or easily prepared through heating, steaming, or frying, transforming into delectable family meals or restaurant specialties (Yu et al., 2022). The classification basis of prepared dishes is presented in Table 1. Prepared dishes come in various forms, and their classification can be based on primary ingredient types, processing degree and convenience in consumption, and storage and transportation methods.

As presented in Fig. 2, the prepared dish industry based on a central kitchen engineering, with its extended supply chain, fosters synergies across related sectors, driving sales of various food categories and catalyzing growth in catering, fresh food retailing, and cold-chain logistics. Thus, to overcome developmental challenges and explore new avenues for expansion, the development of central kitchen-based prepared dishes is pivotal for the food industry. Thus, this review aims to critically review the status, processing challenges, and prospects, providing a roadmap for creating secure, convenient, healthful, nourishing, delectable, and diverse prepared dishes. We believe that this review will offer valuable insights for both academic researchers and industry practitioners in this field.