Mid-term Study Guide Spring 23.pdf_final

Page 1: Key Definitions

Cooking Methods

• Boiling: Food is immersed in boiling water.

• Poaching: Gently cooks food in a liquid at low temperatures (typically below boiling).

• Simmering: Cooks food in liquid just below boiling point, retaining nutrients better than boiling.

Food Chemistry Concepts

• Shortening Value: The amount of fat present in a food product.

• Rancidity: Degradation of fats/oils causes unpleasant odors and flavors due to oxidation, often initiated by air, light, and heat exposure.

• Rendering: Extracts and processes nutrients from animal by-products for use in animal feed, fertilizers, and biofuels.

• Refining: Removal of bran and germ from grains, which significantly reduces nutritional content.

Starch Science

• Retrogradation: Re-alignment of cooked starch molecules into a crystalline structure as they cool, causing gel firmness and water release—linked to baked goods staling.

• Dextrinization: Breakdown of large starch molecules into sweeter dextrin molecules when subjected to dry heat.

• Gelatinization: Absorption of water and swelling of starch granules upon heating, leading to thickening effects in liquids (e.g., in pasta/rice).

Plant Metabolites

• Saponin: Secondary metabolites in plants that defend against disease and herbivores; form stable, soap-like foams in water solutions.

Page 1: Key Concepts

• Food Evaluation: Understand the sensory evaluation methods of food (sight, smell, taste, touch).

• Cookware Comparison: Compare types of cookware based on their advantages and disadvantages.

• Knife Safety: Identify various types of knives and their safe handling techniques.

• Kitchen Measurements: Ability to calculate and label measurements correctly.

• Foodborne Illnesses: Know types of bacteria, parasites, and viruses responsible for foodborne illnesses, and prevention methods, including correct cooking/storage temperatures.

• Moist vs. Dry Heat: Distinguish between moist and dry heat cooking methods.

• Classifications of Fruits and Vegetables: Recognize different classifications and effects of acids and bases on plant pigments.

• Storage of Herbs/Spices: Effective strategies for the proper storage and preparation of herbs and spices.

• Salad Dressings: Organize salad dressings based on emulsion types and identify different salad types.

Page 2: Deluxe Topics

• Candy Types: Differentiate between amorphous and crystalline candies; identify temperature labels for candy making.

• Sauce Ratios: Recognize appropriate fat-to-flour ratios for varying sauce thicknesses.

• Expansion of Pasta/Rice: Predict how pasta and rice expand when cooked.

• Starch Mixtures: Examine ingredient impacts on starch mixtures' thickness.

• Grain Anatomy: Label parts of a grain (bran, germ, endosperm).

Measurements and Basic Tastes

• Rice Cooking Ratio: 1 cup of uncooked rice yields ~3 cups of cooked rice.

• Basic Tastes: Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami.

• Cookware Quality: Copper is the high-end choice for even and quick heating.

• Knife Anatomy: Label the spine, bolster, edge, and tang of a knife.

• Fluid Ounces in a Cup: 8 fluid ounces.

• Teaspoons in a Tablespoon: 3 teaspoons.

• Foodborne Illness Susceptibility: Infants, children, pregnant women, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals are most susceptible; healthy adults are least susceptible.

• Boiling vs. Simmering: Boiling is vigorous bubbling at the boiling point; simmering is gentle bubbles just below boiling.

Evaluation and Food Safety

• Subjective Evaluation: Personal opinions and sensory experiences such as appearance, aroma, taste, and texture.

• Foodborne Pathogens: Know differences among cyclospora, listeria, staphylococcus, yersinia, and trichinosis; Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illnesses.

• Temperature Safety: Label temperatures for safety on a chart; identify danger zones (40°F-140°F).

Page 3: Additional Topics

• Vegetable Classification: Identify types of vegetables in dishes like Vegetable Quinoa.

• Broccoli Color Retention: Quick cooking preserves the bright green color of broccoli.

• Candy Making Interference: Fats, proteins, and acids can disrupt sugar crystallization.

• High Smoke Point: Temperature at which oil begins to smoke and break down.

• Starch Thickness Influencers: Starch type, quantity, and other ingredient presence affect the thickness.

• Cereal Grain Structure: All cereal grains consist of bran, germ, and endosperm.

Natural Pigments

• Anthocyanins: Provide red, purple, blue hues (e.g., blueberries, red cabbage).

• Carotenoids: Impart yellow, orange, red colors (e.g., carrots, tomatoes).

• Chlorophylls: Responsible for green in leaves and vegetables.

• Betalains: Give intense red/purple in beets and amaranth; natural food pigments such as anthoxanthins and flavonoids create white coloration in certain vegetables (e.g., cauliflower, onions, potatoes).