Definitions to know for FINAL Flashcards
Food science
Scientific study of raw food materials and their behaviour during formation, processing, packaging, storage, and evaluation as consumer food products
Food technology
Application of food science to the selection, preservation, processing, packaging, distribution and use of safe, nutritious and wholesome food
Food manufacturing
The mass production of food products from raw animal and plant materials utilizing the principles of food technology
Nutrition
The action, interaction and balance of nutrients and other substances in food and their relation in health and disease and the process by which the body ingests, digests, absorbs, transports, utilizes and excretes food substances
Adulteration
Purposeful introduction of foreign material into food, especially those aesthetically objectionable, indicative of unsanitary manufacturing processes
Food scientist
A person who applies scientific knowledge and technological principles to the study of foods and their components either in a research or manufacturing setting
Quality assurance
Sampling and checking of raw products to see if they are fresh and conform to purchasing specifications
Nutraceutical
Proposed new regulatory category of food components that may be considered a food (in whole or in part) that provides health benefits beyond nutrition
Phytochemical
Plant derived chemical that is biologically active and thought to function in the body to prevent certain disease processes
Food microbiology
Study of microorganisms that cause food spoilage, those that make foods unsafe by producing disease, and those used to make fermented foods
HACCP
Food safety protocol for food processors and manufacturers based upon the principles of hazard analysis and risk assessment and the determination and monitoring of what are termed critical control points
Sensory evaluation
Uses test methods that provide information on how products are perceived through human senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing
Degrees Brix
A measure of a beverage or liquid’s sugar concentration, equal to the weight percent of sucrose in solution
Food
Any substance the body can take in and assimilate nutrients that will enable it to stay alive and grow
Optimizing nutrition
- prevent deficiencies
- maintain healthy weights
- optimize health and delay degenerative disease
The Rainbow
Refers to 4 main food groups and how they are presented by Canada’s Food Guide
Metabolic Syndrome
Combination of factors that greatly increase risk of developing CVD
- high fasting blood glucose or insulin resistance
- central obesity
- hypertension
- low blood HDL cholesterol
- elevated blood triglycerides
Metabolism
The sum of all physical and chemical changes taking place in living cells; includes all reactions by which the body obtains and spends the energy from food
Mastication
Using teeth to grind, crush, chew food before swallowing
Lumen
Cavity to tubular organ or part (as in the stomach)
Bolus
Small rounded mass of chewed food at moment of swallowing
Chyme
The fluid resulting from the actions of the stomach upon food
Bile
Cholesterol-containing digestive fluid made by the liver, stored in gallbladder and released into small intestine when needed
- emulsifies fats and oils to ready them for enzymatic digestion
Emulsification
The process in digestion by which bile surrounds fat molecules and converts them into smaller particles for digestion
Emulsifiers
Substances that keep fat globules dispersed in water or water droplets dispersed in fat
Hunger
Physiological need to eat food
- lack or shortage of basic food needed to provide energy and nutrients that support health
Satiation
Perception of fullness that builds throughout a meal eventually reaching the degree of fullness and satisfaction that halts eating
Satiety
Perception of fullness that lingers in the hours after a meal and inhibits eating until next meal time
Leptin
An appetite suppressing hormone produced in fat cells that conveys information about body fatness to brain
Ghrelin
Hunger hormone secreted by stomach
Homeostasis
Body’s tendency to maintain a state of chemical and metabolic equilibrium
Postprandial
The time following a meal
Ketone bodies
acidic compounds derived from fat and certain amino acids
- help feed brain during starvation
DRI
dietary reference intakes
- Canadian and American recommendations for daily intake
EAR
estimated average requirement
- median required for specific age and gender groups
RDA
recommended dietary allowance
- EAR + 2 std. dev. to cover 97-98% of the population
- specific to age and gender groups
AI
adequate intake
- when no EAR exists
- nutrient intake goals for individuals based on intakes of healthy people in a particular life stage and gender
UL
tolerable upper intake level
- highest average daily nutrient intake level that is likely to pose no risk of toxicity to almost all healthy individuals of a particular life stage and gender
AMDR
acceptable macronutrient distribution range
- protein, fat, carbohydrate as % of daily calories
EER
estimated energy requirement
% daily value
actual content in food per serving/daily reference intake
BMR
basal metabolic rate
- use of energy to maintain body function at rest
Thermic effect of food
Body’s speeded up metabolism in response having eaten a meal - energy used in metabolism of each nutrient
Intrinsic factor
A factor found inside a system
Peristalsis
Wavelength muscular squeezing of the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine that pushes contents along
Segmentation
Alternating forward and backward motion allowing for greater contact between partially digested food and intestinal juices and enzymes
Absorb
To take in - nutrients are taken into intestinal cells after digestion
Digest
To break molecules into smaller molecules
Nutrient
Components of food that are indispensable to body’s functioning, provide energy and serve as building blocks
Appetite
Psychological desire to eat
- learned motivation
- positive association to sight/smell/thought of appealing foods
Food preservation
Matching the supply of food with the demand in both time and space
D value
The time required for a bacterial population to pass through one log cycle, in which 90% of the organisms have been killed
Convection
The movement of heat energy due to density differences in a product caused by temperature gradients within the system, and characterized by random molecular motion and bulk motion
Conduction
The movement of molecules or heat energy through a medium from the more energetic particles to the less energetic ones
Adsorbed water
Water that associates in layers via intermolecular hydrogen bonds around hydrophilic food molecules
Aerobe
Organism that requires oxygen for survival
Ale
Type of beer with pH of 3.8
Allergens
Antigen substances foreign to the body that elect an immune system response and trigger inflammation and other symptoms
Amino acids
Component subunits of proteins
Amphiphilic molecules
Molecules that contain polar and non polar regions in their structure
Anaerobe
Organism that cannot survive or grow in the presence of oxygen
Antimicrobial agents
Additives that act to inhibit the growth of bacteria, yeasts, molds, and thus function as preservatives
Antioxidant
Additive that acts to inhibit the oxidation of fats and pigments by molecular oxygen to prevent product rancidity and altered color
Aseptic canning
Separate sterilization of food and canning container, and then bringing them together in a sterile environment where the container is filled and sealed
Aseptic packaging
Pre sterilized containers that are hot-filled with product and hermetically sealed
Bacteria
Unicellular organisms that gram stain
Bactericidal
Able to kill bacterial cells
Bacteriostatic
Able to inhibit the growth of but not kill bacterial cells
Barley malt
A compound that breaks down starch from barley into individual sugars during beer production
Beta-glucans
Polysaccharides of glucose similar to cellulose but less linear
- occurring in oats, barley, and yeast
- useful as fat replacer
Bioavailability
Degree to which nutrients are able to be digested by human enzymes and absorbed by body
Biologically active water
Water available to participate in chemical reactions and accessible to microorganisms in food
Blanching
The rapid application of mild heat processing to deactivate browning and tissue softening enzymes present in fruits and vegetables that are to be further processed
Botulism
Disease caused by consumption of toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum
Bound water
Water in a tight chemically bound arrangement in food that does not exhibit the typical properties of water
Bran
Outermost layer in a grain kernel, high in fiber content, and also containing protein, B vitamins, and iron
Bread
The product of baking a 3:1 mixture of flour and water, with added salt, yeast and other ingredients
Butter
Dairy spread made from either sweet or source cream, as a water-in-oil emulsion
Calorie
Amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius
Canning
Food preservation method achieved by filling food into sealed containers and heating to destroy spoilage microorganisms
Caramelization
Formation of brown pigments as a result of applying heat energy to sugars
Casein micelles
Large colloid particles in milk composed of calcium phosphate complexed to casein
Cellulose
Polysaccharide found in cell wall of plants, composed of glucose molecules, a type of insoluble fiber that quickens the movement of food through intestine
Chemical hazards
Chemical substances that are either naturally occurring in foods or added that cause food borne disease
Chilling injury
Damage to fruits and vegetables characterized by pitting and browning of surface and flesh to due severe cooling treatment
Colloids
Surface active ingredients such as fatty acids, glycerides, phospholipids, polysaccharides, and proteins too large to dissolve and become the dispersed phase of a true solution
Chymosin
Enzyme that breaks down casein proteins in milk
Climacteric fruits
Fruits in which ripening is accompanied by increased respiration
Coenzymes
Specific B vitamins that function with enzymes to facilitate the metabolism of the energy nutrients
Cold point
The last area within a can to reach processing temperature during retort processing
Collagen
A tough fibrous protein that comprises the majority of the connective tissue surrounding muscle fiber bundles
Commercially sterile
The degree of sterilization at which all pathogenic and toxin-producing organisms are destroyed as well as any spoilage organisms
Creaming
In milk systems, large fat globules clump together and rise to layer on the top of the water phase
Critical control points
Steps during the food production process for which control is essential in order to produce the safest food possible
Crystallization
Formation of crystalline structure an organized 3D array of unit cells into a solid form
Curd
The coagulate that forms when milk proteins precipitate out of solution during fermentation
Dehydration
Form of food preservation in which moisture is driven off by the application of heat, resulting in stable food that has a moisture content below that at which microorganisms can grow
Denaturation
An unfolding of protein structure without disrupting protein covalent bonds
Dietary fiber
Residue of plants left undigested after consumption of edible fiber
Disaccharide
Two monosaccharides joined together by a glycosidic linkage
Drum drying
A form of drying using rotating drums to dry potatoes into flakes and other products
Drying
An extensive approach to moisture removal in which product moisture is reduced to a few percent
Electrolytes
Specific mineral elements inside and outside of body cells that conduct electricity, such as sodium and potassium
Emulsification
The process in digestion by which bile surrounds fat molecules and converts them into smaller particles for digestion
Emulsifiers
Substances that keep fat globules dispersed in water or water droplets dispersed in fat
Emulsion
Colloidal dispersion of two liquids, usually oil and water, that don’t mix
Endosperm
Major layer in a grain kernel, made up of starch storing parenchyma cells and having content of B cells and protein
Energy metabolism
How the body uses energy nutrients as fuel sources
Enrichment
The addition of nutrients to a food to meet a specific standard
Ethylene
Naturally occurring substance in plants, important in ripening process
Evaporation
Removal of moisture from a food to concentrate its solids content
Facultative anaerobe
Organism that prefers oxygen for growth but can also grow in the absence of oxygen
Fermentation
A metabolic process that is carried out under anaerobic conditions
Fermented foods
Low-acid food subjected to the action of certain microorganisms
Fiber
Non starch polysaccharide carbohydrate portion of plants that helps maintain structural rigidity
Flash pasteurization
A high temp. short time treatment in which pourable products are heated to a temperature that destroys pathogenic microorganisms
Flavonoids
Organic molecules that impart colour and flavour to fruits and vegetables
Foam
Colloidal dispersion in which the dispersed phase is a gas within a liquid continuous phase
Food borne illness
Any illness resulting from the ingestion of food
Fortification
The addition of nutrients, either absent or present in insignificant amounts, to restore nutrients lost during food processing or to prevent or correct a particular nutrient deficiency in a population
Freeze-drying
Food preservation method that requires low pressure chilling under a vacuum, allowing moisture to form ice crystals slowly, which are evaporated into the gas phase via sublimation, without passing through liquid phase
Gelatinization
Irreversible disruption of molecular organization of starch granules due to heat and water
Gelation
The formation of a gel from a cooled paste
Germ
Layer in a grain kernel that is rich in unsaturated fat, specific B vitamins and iron
Glass transition
The change in the physicochemical state of amorphous food materials between the solid glass and the liquid or rubbery states
Glassy state
The most stable amorphous physicochemical state for a food molecule during storage
- comparatively dense state characterized by minimum polymer mobility and maximum viscosity
Glycemic effect
Degree to which a food causes an increase in blood glucose
Grain
A small hard seed produced by plants that are grasses
Grain (in meat)
The direction and organization of muscle fibres in muscle held together by connective tissue into bundles
- fine grain is more tender and smaller bundled
- coarse grain is tougher and has larger bundles
Heat treatment
Food processing to achieve preservation
- pasteurization
- blanching
- baking
- canning to achieve commercial sterility
Homeostasis
Body’s tendency to maintain a state of chemical and metabolic equilibrium
Homogenization
Process used to decrease the size of fat globules dispersed in milk
Homogenous
The uniform distribution of matter within a smaple
Hops
Plant flowers that impart bitterness and flavour in fermentation of grains into beer
Humectant
A substance that attracts water within a food product, which may lower the product’s water activity
Hydrogenation
The forced addition of hydrogen atoms to the unsaturated bonds in an unsaturated fat
Hydrogenization
Processing to saturate double bonds and harden an oil and make it resistant to oxidative rancidity
Hydrolytic rancidity
Off-flavour resulting from chemical reactions that liberate free fatty acid by water hydrolysis and enzyme action
Infection
Food borne illness due to ingestion of food contaminated with large numbers of microorganisms that colonize the intestine and damage the intestinal lining
Intoxication
A food borne illness due to ingestion of food contaminated with microorganisms that have produced toxin in the food
Intoxification
A food borne illness due to ingestion of bacteria that produce toxins once inside the small intestine
Isoelectric point
The pH at which a protein molecule loses its net electrical charge and is easily denatured and precipitated
Ketone
Organic compound in which an interior carbon atom is double-bonded to an oxygen atom
Lactic acid bacteria
Organisms able to ferment lactose to form lactic acid under anaerobic conditions
Lager
Type of beer with pH of 4.2
Leavening
Production of gas by yeast fermentation or the production of gas caused by the reaction of an acid with baking soda in batter and dough products that contributes to volume and final aerated texture
Lipoprotein
Substance composed of lipid plus protein material
Macronutrients
Nutrients humans must consume in the largest amounts
Maillard reaction
Browning reaction caused by reducing sugars and amino acids
Malnutrition
Nutritional imbalance
- either too little or too much
Maturity
The condition of a fruit when it is picked at or just before ripened stage
Metabolism
The chemical reactions that take place within the human body
Micelles
Small, spherical complexes that are products of lipid digestion, composed of monoglycerides, long chain fatty acids, cholesterol and phospholipid
- hydrophobic groups directed away from water
- polar groups exposed on the external surface
Micronutrients
Nutrients that the body requires in lesser amounts
Moisture content
Measure of the actual amount of water vapour present in the air
Myofibrils
Small structures that compose each muscle cell or fiber
Myoglobin
Protein pigment molecule that binds oxygen and provides red colour to meat
Oxymyoglobin
Myoglobin derivative responsible for bright red color
Pasteurization
A food preservation process that heats liquids to kill bacteria, yeasts, molds
Prebiotics
Substances that promote the growth of probiotic bacteria
Pre gelatinized starch
Example of a chemically modified starch that increases product thickness with minimal heating
Preservative
Substance that functions to maintain or preserve a food product’s freshness
Probiotics
Bacterial organisms believed to be beneficial to health
Quality assurance
System for assuring that commercial products such as foods meet certain standards of identity, specific sanitary manufacturing procedures, fill of container and safety considerations
Reducing sugars
Sugars containing the aldehyde or ketone carbonyl group
- function as reducing sugars
Refrigeration
Cooling process to slow the rates of reactions in foods to prolong storage
Relative humidity
Ratio of the amount of water present in air to the maximum amount of water the air could contain if fully saturated with water
Rennin or rennet
Enzyme used to coagulate milk, derived from gastric juice of the fourth stomach of calves
Respiration
The biological oxidation of organic molecules to produce energy plus CO2 and water
- plays an essential role in post harvest fruit and veg ripening and quality
Retort processing
Utilizing a chamber with steam valve jets that can be set to allow steam to enter the chamber for precise temp. control, used to heat sealed cans to destroy bacteria and spores
Retrogradation
Result of heating and cooling starch in water, with reallocation of especially amylose polymers into an ordered structure
Rigor Mortis
Transient postmortem physical and biochemical event that takes place in animal muscle tissue causing a loss of extensibility of tissue
Ripeness
The optimum or peak condition of flavour, color and texture for a particular fruit
Saturated fat
Carbon atoms saturated with H bonds - no double bonds
Senescence
Quality decline in stored, respiring fruits and veg that occur after harvesting
Soluble fiber
Fiber that can be dispersed in water and in general delay intestinal transit time
Starch granule
Naturally occurring spherical aggregate of amylose and amylopectin in plants
Sterile
Devoid of microbial contaminants
Sterilization
The complete destruction of microorganisms
Syneresis
Increased tendency to release water from a gel
Turgor
Structural rigidity of plant cells due to water content, and is an important factor in determining the texture of fruits and veg
Unsaturated fat
Fatty acid chain contains C to C double bonds
- not saturated with H bonds
Vegetable
Herbaceous plant containing edible portion
Antidiuretic hormone
A hormone produced by the pituitary gland in response to dehydration
- stimulates kidneys to reabsorb more water and excrete less
Antigen
A substance foreign to the body that elicits the information of antibodies or an inflammation reaction from immune system
Atherosclerosis
The most common form of CVD
- plaques form along inner walls of arteries
Beriberi
The thiamin deficiency disease
- characterized by loss of sensation in hands and feet, muscular weakness and abnormal heart action
Beta-carotene
Orange pigment with antioxidant activity
- vitamin A precursor
Bone density
Measure of bone strength and degree of mineralization of bone matrix
Cholesterol
A type of sterol that is soft and waxy and made in body for a variety of purposes
Chylomicrons
Clusters formed when lipids from a meal are combined with carrier proteins in the cells of the intestinal lining
- transport food fats through watery body fluids to liver and other tissues
Edema
Swelling of body tissue caused by leakage of fluid from blood vessels
- seen in protein deficiency
Essential fatty acids
Fatty acids that the body needs but cannot make in amounts sufficient to meet physiological needs for itself
Essential nutrients
Those that the body cannot make for itself from other raw materials
Fibre
Indigestible parts of plant foods, largely non starch polysaccharides that are not digested by human digestive enzymes
Functional foods
Foods that appear similar to conventional foods, consumed as part of regular diet, with demonstrated physiological benefits or with ability to reduce chronic disease risks beyond basic nutrient functions
Glucagon
A hormone that is secreted by the pancreas that stimulates the liver to release glucose into the blood when blood glucose concentration dips
Glycemic index
A ranking of foods according to their potential for raising blood glucose relative to a standard such as glucose or white bread
Glycemic load
A mathematical expression of GI and carbohydrate content of a food, meal or diet
Glycogen
A highly branched polysaccharide composed of glucose that is made and stored by liver and muscle tissues of human beings and animals as a storage form of glucose
HDL
Lipoproteins that return cholesterol from the tissues to the liver for dismantling and disposal
- large proportion of protein
Hypertension
High blood pressure
Hypothalamus
A part of the brain that senses a variety of conditions in blood such as temp., glucose content, salt content and other
Essential amino acids
Amino acids that cannot be synthesized by body or in amounts sufficient for physiological needs
Insulin
A hormone secreted by pancreas in response to a high blood glucose concentration
Intracellular fluid
Fluid residing in the cells that provides the medium for cellular reactions
Keratin
The normal protein of hair and nails
Keratinization
Accumulation of keratin in a tissue
- sign of Vitamin A deficiency
Ketosis
An undesirable high concentration of ketone bodies, such as acetone, in blood or urine
Kwashiorkor
A disease related to protein malnutrition with a set of recognizable symptoms such as edema
Lactation
Production and secretion of breast milk for the purpose of nourishing an infant
Limiting amino acid
An essential amino acid that is present in dietary protein in an insufficient amount, thereby limiting the body’s ability to build protein
LDL
Lipoproteins that transport lipids from liver to other tissues such as muscle and fat
- contain large proportion of cholesterol
Lymph
Fluid that moves from bloodstream into tissue spaces and then travels in its own vessels eventually draining back into bloodstream
Marasmus
Calorie-deficiency disease
Osteomalacia
Adult expression of Vitamin D deficiency disease
Phytates
Compounds present in plant foods that bind iron and may prevent its absorption
Rhodopsin
The light-sensitive pigment of cells in the retina that contains Vitamin A
Rickets
Vitamin D deficiency in children
Toxicity
Ability of a substance to harm living organisms
Trace minerals
Essential mineral nutrients found in the human body in amounts less than 5 grams
VLDL
Lipoproteins that transport triglycerides and other lipids from the liver to various parts of the body
Visceral fat
Fat stored within the abdominal cavity in associated with the internal abdominal organs
Viscous
Having a sticky, gummy, or gel-like consistency that flows relatively slowly
Vitamins
Organic compounds that are vital to life and indispensable to body functions but are need only in minute amounts
Wasting
Relentless, progressive loss of body’s tissues that accompanies certain diseases and shortens survival time
Water balance
The balance between water intake and excretion, keeps the body water content constant
Xerophthalmia
Progressive hardening of the cornea of the eye in advanced Vitamin A deficiency that can lea to blindness
Incident
The “mistake” that occurred to cause a food borne disease outbreak - the contamination that occurred
Case
The number of cases/incident are the number of people who became ill from that incident
Freezing point depression
Function of solute concentration and molecular weight
Freeze concentration
As solute concentration increases freezing temp. decreases
Obligatory water loss
Amount of water needed to dilute solutes from the diet
Free water loss
Extra water consumed
Gluconeogenesis
Breakdown of pyruvate, lactate or protein to amino acids which go to liver to synthesize glucose
Natural health products
- naturally occurring substances that are used to restore or maintain good health
- often made from plants by can also be made from animals, microorganisms and marine sources
- come in wide variety of forms
