Food Component Part 2

What factors influence the sensory experience of food related to proteins and amino acids?

Color, texture, and flavor.

What is the Maillard reaction?

A critical chemical process responsible for browning and complex flavors in cooked foods.

What are the requirements for the Maillard reaction to occur?

An amine group from a protein or amino acid and a reducing sugar.

What are Maillard products responsible for?

Characteristic flavors and colors in food.

What food processes involve the Maillard reaction?

Grilling steak, roasting coffee, and making french fries.

What is the role of proteins in stabilizing emulsions?

Proteins act at the oil-water interface, reducing surface tension to prevent separation.

Provide an example of an emulsion stabilized by protein.

Mayonnaise.

What do proteins do in foams?

They stabilize the interface between air and water, preventing bubbles from collapsing.

What are the key examples of foams in food?

Ice cream, beer, and meringue.

What is gelation?

The formation of a semi-solid structure by proteins holding high water content.

How does milk exhibit different properties?

As an emulsion, foam, and gel depending on processing and composition.

Define carbohydrates.

Molecules composed of carbon and water atoms, influencing the structure and sensory attributes of food.

What is the core sugar in life science?

Glucose.

What type of bond is formed between monosaccharides to make disaccharides?

Glycosidic bond.

What is invert sugar?

A mix of glucose and fructose, hydrolyzed sucrose, often used for moisture retention.

What is the difference between amylose and amylopectin?

Amylose is a linear polymer of glucose, while amylopectin is a branched polymer of glucose.

What characterizes saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?

Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds, while unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds that affect their physical properties.

What are the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids?

They provide potential health benefits, including reducing inflammation and promoting heart health.

What are triglycerides?

Fats formed by the esterification of three fatty acids to a glycerol backbone.

What is the primary role of fats in food?

To provide essential fatty acids, enhance flavor, and contribute to energy density.

What happens during hydrogenation of fats?

Hydrogen is added to unsaturated fats to solidify them, creating margarine.

What is hydrolysis in the context of lipids?

The process of reversing esterification by adding water to split fats into fatty acids and glycerol.