Food Science and Nutrition Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering critical definitions, regulatory principles, food chemistry reactions, processing techniques, and microorganisms from the food science notes.

HACCP

A dynamic, preventative food safety concept consisting of seven principles designed to identify and control hazards in food production (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point).

Rennin

An enzyme that causes milk to coagulate by converting the milk protein casein into a compound called paracasein.

Food intoxication

A foodborne illness that occurs when microorganisms grow in food and produce a toxin prior to consumption, which subsequently causes illness when ingested.

Cold point

The point within a food container (such as canned green beans) that is the last to reach the temperature considered safe for destroying microorganisms.

Myoglobin

The primary fibrous protein and pigment found in muscle tissue whose chemical state determines the color of meat.

Food fortification

The addition of nutrients to food products to enhance nutritional value, such as adding vitamin A to margarine or vitamin D to milk.

Bacteriostatic agent

A sanitizing chemical agent that inhibits the growth and multiplication of bacteria without necessarily killing them.

F-value

The number of minutes required to destroy a specific number of microbial cells or spores at a reference temperature of $250^\circ\text{F}$.

D-value

The length of time required at a specific temperature to destroy $90\%$ of the microorganisms present in a population.

Butyric acid

A short-chain fatty acid present in butter (at about $4\%$) that produces a characteristic buttery aroma, particularly upon warming.

Modified atmosphere packaging

A packaging technology that modifies the internal gaseous atmosphere of a package to extend the shelf life of fresh and processed food products.

Codex Alimentarius

An international body established in 1963 to develop harmonized international food standards, guidelines, and codes of practice to protect consumer health and ensure fair food trade.

Turgor

The structural rigidity and crispness of plant cells maintained by internal water pressure; loss of turgor causes vegetables such as lettuce to wilt.

Sodium nitrite

A curing agent added to meat products to inhibit the growth of Clostridium botulinum, enhance flavor, and impart a characteristic pink cured color.

Syneresis

The spontaneous expulsion or weeping of liquid from a gel, frequently observed when retrogradation occurs in refrigerated, starch-thickened puddings.

Retrogradation

The realignment and crystallization of amylose and amylopectin chains that takes place as a gelatinized starch cools and ages, leading to staling and water release.

Listeria monocytogenes

A foodborne bacterial pathogen associated with ready-to-eat deli meats, hot dogs, and soft cheeses that can tolerate and multiply at refrigeration temperatures.

Brix

A scale used to relate the specific gravity of a solution to its soluble sugar content, commonly applied to juices and beverages.

Lactase

An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of lactose into its constituent monosaccharides, galactose and glucose.

Capsaicin

The active chemical component found in chili peppers that stimulates heat and produces a burning sensation in sensory receptors of the mouth.

Papain

A plant-derived proteolytic enzyme extracted from the papaya fruit that is utilized commercially to tenderize tough cuts of meat.

Water activity ($a_w$)

A measurement on a scale from $0$ to $1$ representing the vapor pressure of water in a food system divided by the vapor pressure of pure water, indicating the free water available for microbial growth.

Isoflavones

Soy-derived phytochemicals present in products such as soy beverages that have been studied for their ability to potentially reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Aseptic processing

A method in which a commercially sterilized food product is filled and sealed into a pre-sterilized package within a sterile environment for shelf-stable storage at ambient temperature.

Rancidity

The deterioration of fats and oils caused by oxidation or hydrolysis of unsaturated fatty acid chains, producing objectionable off-odors and off-flavors.

Carrageenin

A seaweed-derived hydrocolloid and vegetable gum added to evaporated milk prior to processing to prevent casein separation and maintain stability.

Complete protein

A dietary protein source that contains adequate amounts of all nine essential amino acids required for human maintenance and growth.

GRAS

An acronym for "Generally Recognized as Safe," designating a regulatory category of food substances (such as spices and flavorings) judged safe by experts and exempt from additive clearance.

Case hardening

A dehydration defect in which the surface of a food product dries too rapidly due to excessive heat or low humidity, forming a crust that traps moisture inside.

Metmyoglobin

The oxidized, brownish form of the muscle pigment myoglobin, created when the central iron atom is oxidized to the ferric state ($\text{Fe}^{3+}$).

Blanching

A brief thermal treatment involving boiling water or steam used to inactivate plant enzymes in fruits and vegetables prior to freezing or canning.

Psychrotrophs

Microorganisms that are capable of growth and reproduction at cold refrigeration temperatures around $4^\circ\text{C}$.

Maillard reaction

A non-enzymatic browning cascade resulting from the chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar under the influence of heat.

Pectin

A complex plant carbohydrate consisting of $\alpha$-1,4-linked D-galacturonic acid units that forms viscoelastic gels in the presence of acid and sugar.

Staphylococcus aureus

A bacterial pathogen carried on human skin and in nasal passages that produces an extremely heat-stable enterotoxin when allowed to multiply in unrefrigerated food.

Osmophilic yeasts

Yeast species adapted to thrive in high-solute, high-osmotic-pressure environments with low water activity, causing spoilage in dried fruits, syrups, and honey.

Retort

A pressurized commercial vessel designed to cook and sterilize low-acid hermetically sealed cans and pouches using steam or hot water.

Sequestrants

Chelating food additives (such as citric acid and tartaric acid) that bind pro-oxidant metal ions to inhibit them from catalyzing unsaturated lipid oxidation.

Homogenization

A mechanical fluid process that fractures fat globules in raw milk into smaller, uniform sizes to prevent phase separation and creaming during storage.

Gluten

An elastic, structural protein network formed by the hydration and mechanical kneading of the wheat endosperm proteins gliadin and glutenin.

Sublimation

The thermodynamic phase transition in freeze-drying (lyophilization) wherein frozen water passes directly from a solid ice phase to a gaseous vapor phase without becoming liquid.

Potable water

Water that meets microbiological and chemical safety standards and is suitable and safe for human drinking and food preparation.

Denaturation

A conformational change in a protein's secondary, tertiary, or quaternary structure without the cleavage of its primary covalent peptide bonds.

Commercial sterilization

A thermal preservation process that eliminates all pathogenic and toxin-forming microorganisms, leaving only non-pathogenic, highly heat-resistant bacterial endospores dormant.

Aspartame

A synthetic non-nutritive sweetener composed of a methyl ester dipeptide of L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine.

Delaney Clause

A provision enacted in 1958 barring the FDA from approving any food additive found to induce cancer when ingested by humans or laboratory animals.

LD50

A standardized toxicity metric representing the lethal dose of a substance required to kill $50\%$ of a test animal population under defined conditions.

Mycotoxins

Toxic secondary chemical metabolites synthesized by specific mold species that can contaminate crops, nuts, and stored grains.

Calorie

A physical unit of heat energy defined scientifically as the amount of thermal energy required to raise the temperature of $1.0\,\text{g}$ of water by $1.0^\circ\text{C}$.

Chalaza

The twisted, cord-like strands of albumen extending from opposite sides of the egg yolk to maintain it centered in the middle of the egg.

Essential amino acids

The nine amino acids that cannot be synthesized endogenously by the human body and must be supplied through the diet.

Convection cooking

A mode of thermal energy transfer achieved by the macroscopic circulatory movement of a heated fluid or gas, commonly forced by a fan in an oven.

Water holding capacity

The quantitative capability of meat or food muscle structures to bind and retain their inherent moisture during heating, grinding, or pressing.

Emulsion

A colloidal dispersion consisting of two immiscible liquids, where droplets of the dispersed phase are suspended uniformly throughout the continuous phase.

Food science

The systematic study of the physical, biological, and chemical makeup of food, including the principles underlying food production, processing, evaluation, and utilization.