Cereal & Cereal Products Technology

Flashcards covering cereal definitions, scientific names, nutritional qualities, processing terms, and specialty crops.

Cereals

Grasses belonging to the monocot family Poaceae or Gramineae, cultivated for the edible components of their grain.

Caryopsis

The botanical term for a type of fruit that constitutes the edible grain of cereals.

Monocot

A type of seed with $1$ cotyledon, fibrous roots, flower petals in multiples of $3$, and narrow leaves with parallel veins.

Dicot

A type of seed with $2$ cotyledons, tap roots, $4$ or $5$ petals, and oval or palmate leaves with net-like veins.

$$Triticum\,aestivum$$

The scientific name for Wheat.

$$Secale\,cereale$$

The scientific name for Rye.

$$Oryza\,sativa$$

The scientific name for Rice.

$$Pennisetum\,glaucum$$

The scientific name for Millet.

$$Zea\,mays$$

The scientific name for Maize.

$$Hordeum\,vulgare$$

The scientific name for Barley.

$$Sorghum\,bicolor$$

The scientific name for Sorghum.

$$Avena\,sativa$$

The scientific name for Oats.

Ceres

The Roman goddess of grain from whose name the term "cereal" originates.

Endosperm

The part of the grain remaining after refining (removal of bran and germ) that consists mostly of carbohydrates and lacks most other nutrients.

Celiac Disease

A chronic autoimmune disorder also known as Gluten Intolerance, where the ingestion of gluten leads the immune system to attack the villi in the small intestine.

Gluten

A protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

$$T.\,durum$$

Commonly known as Durum, this is a tetraploid form of wheat and the second most widely cultivated species.

$$T.\,monococcum$$

Commonly known as Einkorn, a diploid species with both wild and cultivated variants.

$$T.\,dicoccum$$

Commonly known as Emmer, a tetraploid species cultivated in ancient times but no longer in widespread use.

Brown Rice

Rice produced by removing only the husk, resulting in a more nutritious grain high in vitamins, fiber, and minerals.

White Rice

Rice produced by removing both the husk and the bran; it is less nutritious and has a shelf life of approximately $10\,\text{years}$.

Dent Maize

A category of corn characterized by a dent in the kernel crown.

Flint Maize

A category of corn with hard, round kernels; popcorn is a type of flint maize that expands on heating.

Hordearii

A term for Roman gladiators, meaning "barley-men," reflecting the importance of barley in their staple diet.

Beta-glucan

A soluble fiber found in high contents in barley and oats; in oats, it helps manage insulin response in diabetics.

Lipase

A fat-splitting enzyme present in oats that causes rancidity and soapy tastes after milling if not inactivated by heat treatment.

Pentosans

Soluble fibers found at high levels in rye that assist in slimming diets and reducing blood sugar rise rates.

Triticale

The first man-made cereal crop, produced by crossing wheat ($Triticum$) and rye ($Secale$).

Lysine

The first limiting amino acid in cereal grains; it is found in higher levels in triticale compared to wheat.

Enrichment

The process of adding nutrients back into a food product that were originally present but lost during processing.

Fortification

The process of adding nutrients to a food that were not originally present to prevent deficiencies in a community.

Contaminant

A substance not intentionally added to food, occurring accidentally or naturally through environment or processing (e.g., microbes, pesticides).

Adulterant

An intentionally added substance used to cheat customers, increase quantity, or mask inferior quality for profit.

Chemical Additive

A substance intentionally added for technological purposes to enhance quality, improve appearance, or increase shelf life.

Gliadin

The specific gluten protein found in Wheat.

Hordein

The specific gluten protein found in Barley.

Secalin

The specific gluten protein found in Rye.

Avenin

The specific gluten protein found in Oats.

Pseudocereals

Gluten-free grains that are not true grasses, including Amaranth, Buckwheat, and Quinoa.