Section C Key Terms

Best before date

used on low-risk foods.

Use by date

used on high-risk foods.

High-risk foods

foods that are the ideal medium for the growth of bacteria or micro-organisms, e.g. chicken and shellfish.

Low-risk foods

foods that have a long shelf life, such as dried foods.

Shelf life

how long a food product can be kept safely and remain of high quality.

Aeration

the process of trapping air in a mixture.

Albumin

protein in egg white.

Caramelisation

process of changing the colour of sugar from white to brown when heated.

Coagulate

to set; the change in structure of protein brought about by heat, mechanical action or acids.

Colloidal structure

when two substances are mixed together.

Denatures

changes which occur in proteins.

Dextrinisation

when dry heat is applied to flour and it browns as the starch is changed into a sugar.

Emulsifier

a substance that stops oil and water separating.

Emulsion

a mixture of two liquids.

Enzymic browning

reaction between a food product and oxygen resulting in a brown colour.

Gelatinisation

what happens to starches and water when cooked together.

Gluten

the protein in flour.

Maillard reaction

when foods containing proteins and carbohydrates are cooked by dry methods.

Oxidisation

occurs when fruit and vegetables are cut and the cells are exposed to air.

Radiation

where heat is passed by electromagnetic waves from one place to another.

Shortening

when fat coats the flour grains and prevents the gluten from developing and absorbing water, resulting in a crumbly mixture.

Syneresis

usually refers to eggs; if overcooked, the proteins shrink as they coagulate and separate from the watery liquid.

Aesthetic qualities

the properties that make a product attractive to look at or experience.

Organoleptic

describes the sensory qualities of a food product.

Profiling test

identifies specific characteristics of a product.

Ranking test

putting in order the intensity of a particular characteristic of a product.

Sensory analysis

tests that identify the sensory characteristics of products.

Sensory qualities

the look, smell, taste, feel and sound of products.

Triangle test

used to tell the difference between two products.

Conduction

where heat is transferred from one molecule to another.

Convection

where warm molecules rise and the cooler molecules fall closer to the source of heat.

Radiation

where heat is passed by electromagnetic waves from one place to another.

Bacteria

single-celled organisms present in the air, soil, on animals and humans.​

Danger zone

the temperature range (5–63°C) in which bacteria grow rapidly.​

Deteriorate

start to decay and lose freshness.​

Enzymes

proteins that speed up chemical reactions.​

Food spoilage

damage to food caused by the natural decay of food or by contamination by micro-organisms.​

Food-spoilage bacteria

bacteria that cause a food to go bad but do not usually cause food poisoning.

High-risk foods

foods that are the ideal medium for the growth of bacteria or micro-organisms, e.g. chicken and shellfish.​

Low-risk foods

foods that have a long shelf life, such as dried foods.

​Micro-organisms

tiny living things such as bacteria, yeasts and moulds which cause food spoilage; can only be seen through a microscope.​

Pathogenic bacteria

harmful bacteria which can cause food poisoning.​

pH

a measure of alkalinity or acidity.​

Shelf life

how long a food product can be kept safely and remain of high quality.