food product development - functional properties

Question 1

functional properties of flour

Answer 1

dextrinisation -
Starch (FLOUR) helps baked products like bread and
cakes to become brown. When starch is subjected to dry heat, a chemical change takes place. The starch molecules break down into dextrin
Too little heat will stop the chemical change
taking place so the change in colour will be
minimal
gelatinisation -
Gelatinisation is a process used to thicken liquids e.g.
cheese sauce. The starch (in this case flour) when heated with a liquid (in this case milk) absorbs the liquid and thickens the sauce

Question 2

functional properties for sugar

Answer 2

sweetening -
The most obvious use for sugar in products is
to sweeten them.
Some savoury processed foods such as
tomato soup and beans are sweetened with
sugar to reduce the acidic taste
aeration -
When sugar is added to fat and creamed, the crystals
of the sugar cut into the fat and air is added by beating. The fat surrounds the air bubbles and traps them
caramelisation -
Caramelisation occurs when sugar is heated
and melts (e.g a Crème Brulee)
when sugar and water are heated, the water is
driven off resulting caramel being formed

Question 3

functional properties of fat

Answer 3

shortening -
Fat is rubbed into flour the fat coats the flour,
preventing the flour from absorbing water. This stops the dough becoming elastic and so gives a short crumbly texture
aeration -
When fat is creamed or rubbed in, air can
become trapped causing food to rise when
heated.