1 Foundations of Food Chemistry Free Online FlashCards

What does food chemistry study?

Food chemistry studies food components and the reactions and interactions that affect quality, safety, and usefulness.

What is a food matrix?

A food matrix is the arrangement of water, nutrients, and other compounds in food, where their interactions shape properties such as texture, flavor, and shelf life.

What are physical properties of food?

Physical properties are observable or measurable characteristics, such as texture, viscosity, density, and melting or freezing behavior.

How can sugars affect heated foods?

Sugars contribute sweetness and can promote browning when food is heated.

What does protein denaturation do?

Heat, acid, or mechanical action can denature proteins by unfolding them, changing their ability to bind together or hold water.

What is an emulsion in food?

An emulsion is a mixture in which droplets of one liquid, such as fat, are dispersed in another, such as a water-based phase.

What does water activity describe?

Water activity describes how available water is for reactions and microbial growth; it is not the same as total water content.

How do heating, cooling, and drying affect food?

Heating can cook food and reduce microorganisms; cooling slows many reactions and microbial growth, while drying removes water.

What is the purpose of HACCP?

HACCP organizes food safety work by identifying hazards and controlling important steps in a process. Safety depends on hazard control across ingredients, processing, storage, and use.

What are chemical properties of food?

Chemical properties describe food composition and reactions, including acidity, oxidation, and changes caused by heat, enzymes, or microorganisms.

How does starch thicken a cooked sauce?

Starch absorbs water and thickens mixtures. During cooking, its granules swell and gelatinize, as in a thickened sauce.

What do emulsifiers do in an emulsion?

Emulsifiers help keep dispersed fat droplets from separating from the surrounding water-based phase.