food tech notes

Factors Influencing Food Choice

1 What are the main factors that influence food choice?
2 Lifestyle, cost, health, religious/moral beliefs, storage & cooking facilities, culture, peer pressure, allergies

1 What are some personal, social, and economic factors affecting food choice?
2 Cost, enjoyment, preference, seasonality, availability, health & medical reasons, food scares

1 How does cost influence food choice?
2 Some people cannot afford more expensive or diverse food options

1 How does enjoyment affect food choice?
2 People tend to eat food they enjoy; children may need to try new foods multiple times before liking them

1 What is meant by "preference" in food choice?
2 Personal likes and dislikes influenced by senses (taste, smell, texture)

1 How does seasonality affect food availability?
2 Many fruits/vegetables are now available year-round due to importing, but local produce may be seasonal

1 Why is availability important in food choice?
2 Some countries have limited food options and rely on imports for variety

1 How do health and medical reasons affect diet?
2 E.g. Overweight people need lower-calorie diets; high-protein needed for recovery; low-salt for high blood pressure

1 What are food scares and how do they affect food choice?
2 Media reports on food safety concerns that can reduce sales (e.g. contaminated meat)

Religious and Cultural Beliefs

1 What is culture in relation to food?
2 A group of people who share the same norms, beliefs, and values regarding food and other practices

1 Give an example of how religion affects food choice in Islam
2 Muslims do not eat pork or pork products; meat must be Halal

1 What is Kosher food in Judaism?
2 Meat slaughtered in a specific way, treated with kosher salt; dairy and meat must not be eaten together

1 What dietary beliefs do Rastafarians follow?
2 Eat clean and natural foods; no pork; fish must be longer than 30 cm

Types of Vegetarians

1 What do lacto-ovo vegetarians eat?
2 Avoid meat but eat dairy and eggs

1 What do lacto vegetarians avoid?
2 Avoid meat and eggs, but eat dairy

1 What do ovo vegetarians eat?
2 Eat eggs, but avoid dairy, meat, and seafood

1 What do vegans avoid?
2 All animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs

Food Science

1 What are reasons for cooking food?
2 Destroys harmful bacteria, easier to digest, develops flavor, improves texture and appearance, destroys natural toxins

1 What affects how different food is cooked?
2 Food type, facilities, individual needs, cook’s skill, consumer choice

Heat Transfer Methods

1 What are the three basic methods of heat transfer?
2 Conduction, convection, radiation

1 Describe conduction and give an example.
2 Heat transfer by direct contact; e.g. frying or baking

1 Describe convection and give an example.
2 Heat moves in currents; e.g. poaching or steaming

1 Describe radiation and give an example.
2 Heat transferred directly by rays; e.g. grilling or microwaving

Nutrition and Cooking

1 How does cooking affect protein?
2 Not significantly affected by most cooking methods

1 How does cooking affect carbohydrates?
2 Fibre is softened; starch may be lost in water

1 How is fat content affected by cooking?
2 Can be reduced by grilling or increased by frying

1 Which vitamins are affected by heat?
2 B1, B2, B9, Vitamin C (destroyed by heat or water)

1 Which vitamins are not affected by cooking?
2 Vitamins A (except extreme heat), D, E, K

Colloidal Structure & Food Reactions

1 What is gelatinisation?
2 Starch thickens a mixture when heated; swells at 60°C and bursts at 80°C

1 What is dextrinisation?
2 Starch turns brown under dry heat (e.g. toast)

1 What is caramelisation?
2 Sugar browns at 154°C, changes flavor and texture

1 What is the Maillard reaction?
2 Sugars and proteins react under dry heat, causing browning

1 What does aerating mean in baking?
2 Incorporating air into a mixture to make it light and rise

Fats and Oils

1 What is shortening?
2 Fat coats flour, creating a crumbly texture by preventing gluten development

1 What is aeration with fat?
2 Air is trapped when fat and sugar are creamed, helping a mixture rise

1 What is plasticity in fat?
2 The ability of fat to soften over a range of temperatures

1 What is emulsification?
2 Using an emulsifier to keep oil and liquid mixed without separating

Proteins and Acids

1 What happens to protein when heated?
2 It coagulates

1 What is acid denaturation?
2 Acids break down protein structure (e.g. tenderising meat)

1 What is enzymic browning?
2 Oxidation of fruit/veg causes browning (e.g. cut apples)

Raising Agents

1 Name the types of raising agents
2 Biological (yeast), chemical (baking powder, bicarb), mechanical (air, steam)

1 How does yeast make food rise?
2 Produces carbon dioxide during fermentation

1 How is air added to mixtures?
2 By sieving, creaming, whisking, folding, beating

1 How does steam help baked goods rise?
2 Liquid in the mixture turns into steam during baking