Fats and Their Functional Properties in Food Products

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering lipid structures, chemical properties, processing methods, and functional cooking applications from the lecture notes.

Fatty acid

A chemical unit made of a carbon chain with an acid group at one end and a methyl group at the other, where intermediate carbon atoms are bonded to one or two hydrogen atoms.

Triglyceride

The chemical structure of the fat found in food, formed when three fatty acids combine with one molecule of glycerol via their acid groups.

Saturated fatty acid

A fatty acid whose hydrocarbon chain contains all the hydrogen atoms it can possibly hold, without any double bonds between carbon atoms.

Unsaturated fatty acid

A fatty acid in which some hydrogen atoms are missing and replaced by one or more double bonds between carbon atoms.

Monounsaturated fatty acid

An unsaturated fatty acid that contains exactly one double bond along its carbon chain.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid

An unsaturated fatty acid that contains more than one double bond along its carbon chain.

Hydrogenation

A processing method that hardens liquid vegetable and fish oils into solid fats by adding hydrogen atoms to some of the double bonds in unsaturated fatty acids.

Trans fatty acids

Harmful fatty acids produced during the partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils that can pose health risks to consumers.

Palm oil

A fat naturally high in saturated fatty acids, widely used in the UK as an alternative solid fat instead of hydrogenated oils.

Rancidity

The spoilage of fats caused by the oxidation reaction between unsaturated fatty acids and oxygen in the air, accelerated by heat, light, and trace metals.

Shortening

The functional property of fat coating flour particles to block water absorption and inhibit gluten development, resulting in a characteristic crumbly texture in baked items.

Plasticity

The property of fats to melt gradually over a temperature range rather than at a single fixed temperature, caused by their diverse blend of individual triglycerides.

Aeration

The mechanical process of trapping air bubbles into a stable foam by creaming a fat with caster sugar to give baked cakes a well-risen texture.

Flakiness

The pastry characteristic created when sheets of fat separate gluten and starch layers, melting in the oven so evaporating water steam can force the layers to lift.

Basting

The technique of applying fat to food cooked under dry heat to help retain moisture and enhance succulence.

Glazing

The culinary effect achieved by placing fat such as butter onto hot vegetables or sauces to provide a glossy, shiny exterior.