Food Labeling And Nutrition Flashcards
What is a common misconception about home-cooked food versus factory-processed food?
There is a belief that home-cooked food is nutritionally superior, but modern food processing ensures nutrient retention and food safety.
What are the beneficial effects of food processing?
It preserves food by destroying pathogens and natural toxins, increases bioavailability of certain nutrients, and improves protein quality in legumes.
What are intentional losses in food processing?
Unwanted parts like skins, bran, and residues from oil seeds are removed to improve food quality.
What are inevitable nutrient losses in food processing?
Heat-sensitive vitamins (e.g., Vitamin C, thiamin) and water-soluble nutrients are lost to varying degrees during cooking and processing.
What is the impact of boiling on Vitamin C retention in vegetables?
Boiling for a long time with much water can destroy 10-15% and extract 45-60%, leaving only 25-45% retained.
Why is blanching done before freezing?
Blanching inactivates enzymes to prevent nutrient loss and structural degradation during freezing.
What is the effect of food processing on proteins?
Heating denatures proteins, altering their configuration and reducing immunological properties but improving digestibility.
What happens to fats and oils during processing?
They can undergo hydrolytic and oxidative rancidity, but are stable to moist heat in the absence of oxygen.
Which vitamins are most affected by canning?
Thiamin and Vitamin C are most affected, while riboflavin remains stable.
How does milling affect nutrient content in wheat?
As extraction decreases, loss of nutrients like thiamin, riboflavin, and iron increases (e.g., only 22% thiamin remains in 72% extracted wheat).
What is the trade-off in food processing?
Although some nutrients are lost, food safety, shelf life, and availability improve.
What are antinutrients?
Substances that interfere with nutrient absorption or metabolism, e.g., enzyme inhibitors, lectins, cyanogens.
What are some sources of food toxins?
Natural sources (e.g., glycoalkaloids in potatoes), microbiological (e.g., Salmonella), and processing-related (e.g., nitrosamines in cured meats).
What are the most severe food toxic hazards?
Microbiological contamination, processing byproducts, and environmental contaminants are the highest-priority hazards.
How does food processing reduce toxic hazards?
Cooking destroys pathogens, cyanide is removed from cassava, and preservatives prevent spoilage.
What are some failures of food processing?
Inadequate processing can lead to microbial contamination, toxin formation, and chemical residues in food.
Why is food processing not always harmful?
It can enhance safety, extend shelf life, and improve nutrient availability when done correctly.
