Chapter 10: Lipids: Nature's Flavour Enhancers Flashcards
What elements do lipids contain?
C, H, O
Name the 3 types of lipids.
- Triglycerides
- Phospholipids
- Sterols
What are the 2 basic parts of glycerides?
Glycerol molecule and fatty acid(s)
What is the base of a glyceride?
Glycerol molecule with 3 hydroxyl groups that readily react with other compounds
What are fatty acids?
Carbon chains with a carboxyl group (COOH) at one end
How will the glycerol and the fatty acids react? What will it form? What are their charges? How will they change?
Carboxyl group of a fatty acid will react with the hydroxyl group of a glycerol producing a lipid and water
They are both charged (COOH+, OH-) and polar, but will become nonpolar after combining
Which glycerides are partially soluble in water? What are they used for?
Mono and diglycerides are partially soluble in water and soluble in fat
They are added to processed foods to keep mixtures of water and fats stable (emulsion)
What are phospholipids made of?
A glycerol base + 2 fatty acids (diglyceride) + phosphorus-containing acid attached
What part of the phospholipid dissolves in fat? What dissolves in water?
Fatty acid dissolves in fat (nonpolar)
Phosphorus-containing acid dissolves in water (polar)
Name 2 functions of phospholipid
- Part of cell membranes, help transport fats in and out of cells (phospholipid bilayer)
- Help fats stay mixed in water-based solutions (emulsifying agents)
Name some examples of sterols
Vitamin D, steroid hormones, cholesterol
What’s the first consideration when categorizing lipids based on molecular structure?
How saturated the carbon chains are with Hatoms (0, 1 or many double bonds)
What are saturated fatty acids?
Fatty acids that have max nb of H atoms (no double bonds)
What are unsaturated fatty acids?
Do not have the max number of H atoms (double bonds present)
Name monounsaturated fatty acid sources.
Olive and canola oils, almonds, walnuts
Name polyunsaturated fatty acid sources.
Safflower, sunflower and corn oils
What determines the temperature at which a lipid will liquify?
The number of carbon and hydrogen atoms
What lowers the temperature at which a lipid becomes solid?
Double bonds
Define the melting point of a lipid.
The temperature at which all the different fats and oils it contains are liquid
Define hydrogenation.
The process of adding hydrogen atoms to an unsaturated lipid to increase its saturation levels
Describe the hydrogenation process
- H is bubbled through liquid oil in the presence of a nickel catalyst
- Double bonds in the fatty acid chain break and pick up extra H atoms
Name 3 advantages to hydrogenation.
- Longer shelf life than oil or lard (less oxidation)
- Greater stability and lower production cost than lard
- Faster dissolving and setting properties in chocolate production
What are milkfats?
Contain short chain fatty acids and come from cows, goats and sheep
What are lauric acids?
Lipids found in the oils of fruits and seeds from tropical palm trees, low melting point, most saturated of the oils found in plants
What are vegetable butters?
Come from seeds of tropical plants (ex: cocoa butter)
Name sources of oleic-linoleic acids.
Corn, peanuts, sunflowers, olives, cottonseed: largest group of triglycerides and contain less than 20% saturated fatty acids
Name sources of linolenic acids.
Soybeans, wheat germ
What kind of lipid requires refrigeration?
Linolenic acids
What is marbling?
More marbling = more animal fat
High marbling = good quality cut
Marbling is an indicator of flavour and tenderness and higher fat content
Define marine oils.
Unsaturated oils from fish
Why do lipids melt and solidify over a temperature range?
Because of the mixture of fatty acids
Define solidification point.
Temperature at which all lipids in a mixture are in a solid state
What influences the melting point?
The more saturated the fatty acid and the longer the length of the carbon chain, the higher the melting point
Why don’t fats mix with water?
Since they are nonpolar and water is polar.
Nonpolar: equal or balanced sharing of electrons
Define auto-oxidation.
Complex chain reaction that starts when lipids are exposed to oxygen and results in deterioration
Define rancidity.
Form of food spoilage that poses no short term health risk
How can rancidity be prevented?
Vacuum sealing (removing O or replaced with N or CO2) or adding antioxidants (interact with O before the lipids do)
Name the 6 lipid functions in food preparation.
1) Lipids transfer heat quickly, evenly, and at high T
2) Lipids tenderize baked products
3) Lipids aerate batters
4) Lipids enhance flavours of other foods
5) Lipids lubricate food components
6) Lipids serve as liquids in emulsions
Define smoke point.
T at which fatty acids break apart and produce smoke