food science

Sanitation

Practices that keep food, equipment, and work areas clean and reduce contamination.

Food spoilage

Deterioration of food that can cause undesirable odors and flavors.

FSIS

Food Safety and Inspection Service; USDA agency responsible for the safety of meat, poultry, and processed egg products.

Temperature Danger Zone

The range listed in the Blooket set as 40-140°F.

USDA National Organic Program

USDA program that regulates the use of the term organic.

Vitamin C

Also called ascorbic acid.

Formulation

A recipe or planned combination of ingredients used by the food industry.

Umami

Savory taste; recognized as the fifth basic taste in the Blooket set.

Chemical change

A change that produces different chemical substances; browning during toasting is an example.

3 Ps of food defense

Personnel, Product, Property.

Stationary phase

Microbial growth phase in which environmental factors limit growth and growth slows.

Sublimation

Change involving a substance moving between solid and gas without becoming liquid; used in food processing to freeze and dry.

Gluten and water

Water causes gluten protein chains to change shape, including breaking into smaller chains or forming longer chains.

Water activity (aw) of cookies, crackers, and bread crusts

0.2, according to the Blooket question.

Lactose intolerance

Inability to produce enough lactase.

Pastry flakiness and tenderness

Depends on the type of fat used and the temperature at which fat is incorporated into flour.

Xylitol

A sweet alcohol listed in the Blooket set as a texturizer.

Mannitol

A sweet alcohol listed in the Blooket set as a texturizer.

Glycerol

A sweet alcohol listed in the Blooket set as a texturizer.

Sorbitol

A sweet alcohol; excess consumption may cause diarrhea.

Retrogradation

Starch granules try to return to their pre-cooking structure.

Psychosomatic food illness

Illness caused by the mind after seeing a foreign object or watching another person get sick.

Cronobacter sakazakii

Pathogen associated with a large outbreak in powdered infant formula and with infant formula recalls.

Ketosis

Process the body enters when carbohydrates are not available as an energy source.

Ketone bodies

Products produced during ketosis.

Lipids

Includes sterols, cholesterol, and shortening.

Foodborne intoxication

Illness caused when a microorganism grows in food, produces a toxin, and the toxin causes illness.

Globular proteins

Protein group including whey and albumin; the Blooket question distinguishes caseins as the non-example.

Myoglobin

Protein/pigment associated with meat color; pork is lighter than beef partly because it contains less myoglobin.

Food package functions

Communicates information, protects the product, and contains the product.

Popcorn popping

Heating causes water in the kernel to boil, producing steam pressure that pops the kernel.

Rennin

Enzyme that breaks down proteins in milk.

Enzymatic browning pigments

Pigments called melanins are produced by enzymatic browning.

Fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Iodine

Mineral needed for thyroxine production; seafood is listed as a strong source in the Blooket set.

Polyphenols

Plant compounds found in foods such as red grapes, purple grapes, and berries.

Food allergies

Allergic reactions to food proteins are mediated by IgE antibodies.

Hygiene

Practices that help food workers prevent contamination and maintain cleanliness.

CIP

Cleaning-in-Place.

CRISPR

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Palindromic Repeats.

Prion

Infectious protein associated with diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Escherichia coli

Genus = Escherichia; species = coli.

Delaney Clause

Bars approval of a food additive known to cause cancer in humans or animals.

Reduced Fat

Food-label claim defined in the Blooket set as no more than 25% of the fat of the comparable food.

Naringin

Flavonoid in grapefruit that can decrease the effectiveness of some medications.

Sanitizer

Agent that decreases microorganisms to a level considered safe for public health; it does not necessarily eliminate all microorganisms.

Aseptic

Free of pathogens.

Best If Used By

Date referring to food quality; the product may still be fine to eat after the date if properly handled.

Food label display panel

Includes required information such as the name/statement of identity; ingredients and allergens are also important required label information.

Water functions in the body

Transports nutrients, helps maintain body temperature, and acts as a reactant in metabolism.

Fatty acid

Organic molecule with a carbon chain and a carboxyl group at one end.

Margin of safety for an additive

Zone between the concentration normally used and the level at which a hazard exists.

Hydroponic crops

Crops grown with roots suspended in a liquid nutrient solution.

Centrifugal force

Technique used to separate foods based on density.

Energy balance

The overarching goal identified for MyPlate, the Physical Activity Guide, and Dietary Guidelines.

Hydrogen sulfide

Gas that can develop when eggs are overcooked and contribute to the green ring around the yolk.

Cellulose

Indigestible carbohydrate composed of beta-glucose.

Cultivated meat

Animal flesh reproduced in laboratories using bioreactors to produce a product characteristic of natural meat.

Foam

Bubbles of air surrounded by a protein film.

High-dose irradiation

The Blooket set defines this as 20 kGy or higher.

Soft drink solution

Carbon dioxide in water is the solution identified in the Blooket set.

Descriptive research

Includes interviews, surveys, and observations.

Molds

Can spoil foods, grow over a wide pH range, and are generally hardier than bacteria and yeast.

HACCP

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point; a food-safety system based on identifying and controlling hazards.

HACCP critical limit

A maximum or minimum value that must be controlled at a critical control point.

Codex Alimentarius

International body/reference for food standards aimed at protecting consumer health and ensuring fair food trade.

Meta-analysis

Drawing overall conclusions by pooling results from several individual research studies.

Syneresis

When water leaks from a gel over time.

Polarity of oil and vinegar

Oil is nonpolar while vinegar is polar, so they separate without an emulsifier.

Activation energy

Energy required for a reaction to begin.

Enzyme

Helps lower the activation energy needed for a reaction.

Bioavailability

Ability of the body to absorb a nutrient and convert it to a usable form.

Slow freezing

Creates large ice crystals that can rupture plant and animal cell walls and damage food quality.

Dehydrofreezing

Also known as concentration/dehydration in the Blooket set.

Batter vs dough

The proportion of flour to liquid is lower in batters than in doughs.

Fats and calories

Fats provide more kilocalories per gram than proteins or carbohydrates; the Blooket set tests this as about twice as many.

Phenolic acids

Examples in the Blooket set include thymol, vanillin, and ellagic acid.

Coliforms

Their presence in a food product can indicate possible pathogenic microorganisms.

4 Cs of Food Safety

Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill; the Blooket question asks which choice is not one of them.

Viscosity

Can influence food texture, desirability, and effectiveness of cooking oil.

Test and Hold

USDA policy implemented in December 2012 to reduce consumer exposure to unsafe meat products.

USDA Recall Class I

Recall classification for a high or serious health hazard.

Tech-Enabled Traceability

A component of the FDA's New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint.

FDA Food Code

The Blooket set identifies the 2022 Food Code as the most recent edition among its choices.

Compound

Substance containing two or more elements that are chemically combined.

Condensation

Change from vapor/gas to liquid; it is not vaporization, fusion, or sublimation.

Lactase

Enzyme that breaks lactose into glucose and galactose.

Aspartame

Sweetener composed of aspartic acid and phenylalanine.

Caffeine

Mild stimulant added to many foods and beverages; the Blooket set gives 300-400 mg/day as a moderate dose.

Methane

Gas produced when anaerobic bacteria digest cow manure; it can be captured for energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Staphylococcus aureus

Foodborne pathogen for which humans are listed as the main source.

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)

Packaging method that changes the atmosphere around food; the Blooket set asks about reducing oxygen.

Ethylene

Natural plant product whose suppression can extend fresh apple shelf life.

Rancidity

Food deterioration associated with unpleasant odor/flavor and auto-oxidation.

Collagen

Protein found in connective tissue.

Food additives

Can reduce spoilage/waste and may reduce foodborne illness risk or preparation time, depending on the additive.

Alcohol thermometer calibration

The Blooket question lists ice water and boiling water as calibration points.

Vitamin E fortification

Fats and oils are listed as the best food vehicle for Vitamin E.

Yogurt milk heating

Heating contributes to thick texture, denatures proteins, and kills undesirable bacteria.

Concentrated foods

Can provide shipping and packaging cost savings.