FOOD SCIENCE

Definitions of Food
Food is any article whether simple, mixed or compounded, which is used as food or drink, confectionery or
condiment. It includes articles used as component for such" (Food and Drug Act, 1938)

“Food is simply defined as any matter eaten by man to sustain life and nourish the body." (The biologist)

The physiological definition which nutritionists use for food is "any substance which when taken into the body provides energy,
builds and repairs tissues and regulates bodily processes”.

Definition of Food Science:

Food Science is the study of the chemical, physical, and microbiological nature of foods and any transformation that food
undergoes as reflected in its characteristics and properties. From the time the food is produced to the time it is ultimately consumed,
the application of the principles of food science is practiced.

The Branches of Food Science:

1. Food Technology: Focuses on applying science and technology to develop, produce, and preserve food. It involves
innovation in production methods, packaging, and enhancing food safety.
2. Food Chemistry: Studies the chemical composition of food, including nutrients and additives, and examines the chemical
changes during processing and storage. It's essential for improving flavor, nutritional value, and safety.
3. Food Microbiology: Examines microorganisms in food, including those that cause spoilage or are used in fermentation. It
plays a critical role in ensuring food safety and extending shelf life.
4. Food Engineering: Applies engineering principles to design and optimize food processing equipment and techniques. It
focuses on improving efficiency and developing new processing methods.
5. Food Processing or Manufacture: Involves transforming raw ingredients into safe, nutritious, and appealing food products
through various techniques like canning, freezing, and packaging.

Related Fields of Food Science:

1. Nutrition: Focuses on how food affects human health, including the study of nutrients, dietary requirements, and the impact of
diet on disease prevention and health maintenance.
2. Physics: Applies physical principles to understand food properties, such as texture, flow, and heat transfer, which are crucial
in food processing and preservation.
3. Economics: Examines the economic aspects of food production, distribution, and consumption, including cost analysis,
market trends, and food security.
4. Agriculture: Involves the study of crop and livestock production, which provides the raw materials for food production. It
includes farming practices, soil science, and sustainable agriculture.
5. Fisheries: Focuses on the management and harvesting of fish and other aquatic resources, ensuring sustainable practices
and quality control in seafood production.
6. Biology: Provides a foundation for understanding the living organisms involved in food production, such as plants, animals,
and microorganisms, and their roles in food safety and quality.
7. Food Legislation: Involves the laws and regulations governing food safety, labeling, production standards, and trade,
ensuring that food products are safe and meet quality standards.
8. Disease Control: Studies the prevention and control of foodborne illnesses and diseases related to diet, focusing on public
health and food safety measures.
9. Sociology: Examines the social aspects of food, including cultural influences on eating habits, food distribution inequalities,
and the social impact of food policies.
10. Anthropology: Studies the cultural and historical aspects of food, including traditional food practices, the evolution of diets,
and the role of food in human societies.
11. Psychology: Explores the psychological factors that influence food choices, eating behavior, and the sensory perception of
food, including taste, smell, and texture.

Food Quality
Food quality is a composite of several criteria determined by the stimuli coming from the food itself and the attitudes of values
attached by the consumer to the food. A food is considered good to eat if it is nutritious, palatable, sanitary, digestible and economical.
1. Nutritional Quality
Foods are sources of substances called nutrients that are responsible for the physiological roles of food to give energy, build
and repair tissues and regulate bodily processes. The main groups of nutrients are: water, protein, fats, carbohydrates, minerals
and vitamins. The quantitative needs for these nutrients Vary according to age, physical activity, physiological stresses like pregnancy
and lactation, and the state of health of the individual
2. Digestibility
To the layman, digestibility refers not only to the completeness of digestion and absorption but also the general feeling and
after-effect of eating Thus, when a food is hard to digest or is indigestible, it I easily manifested by a feeling of fullness and discomfort
Some foods may cause gas, referred to as gas-forming foods, to certain individuals but not to others. Specific foods that may be
constipating to one person could cause loose bowel movements to another. The emptying time of the stomach also varies among
individuals and the rate of absorption depends on factors like efficiency of enzymes, health of the person, tissue saturation for the
nutrients, blood sugar levels, etc. Protein foods and fatty foods have longer stayed quality referred to as "high satiety value" in the
digestive system than carbohydrate-rich foods
3. Palatability factors
The palatability factors or eating qualities of a food as judged by the human senses include the following
a. Visual perception- The appearance of an object depends on radiant energy of light waves emanating from the object
observed and that impinge on the retina of the eye. External characteristics of a food as seen by the naked eye include size
and shape, volume, texture and color. Oftentimes, the mere sight of a food may stimulate or dampen the appetite.
b. Odor detection- The olfactory nerves of the nose are sensitive to volatile substances emitted by aromatic compounds in
foods. The characteristic smell of fresh vs. spoiled fish, burnt sugar or fat, well-ripened mango, chico, mabolo or langka, spices
and alcoholic beverages is one inherent quality of food that consumers learn to discriminate. Odor is closely associated with
taste and flavor.
c. Taste stimuli- Taste sensations are attributed to chemical components of foods that stimulate the taste buds of the tongue.
Young children also have taste buds on the pharynx and the palate of the oral cavity. The number of taste buds in man is
about none to ten thousand and this number decreases with aging.
d. Tactile sensation - Mouthfeel and feeling by touch depend on stimuli of nerve endings on the mucous lining of the mouth and
on the skin. Examples are the texture of different types of Sugars or flours as felt between the fingers, the softness of fruits as
held on the palm, the "squeeze" test for springiness of breads and the velvetiness of sponge cakes as felt in the mouth. Other
forms of tactile sensations may be felt by the pressure during chewing, biting or masticating on the teeth, gums and jaws. The
coating feeling or puckering of the mouth when one eats santol, duhat or green guava and the prikly feel from paminta to the
hurting and hot sensation from chili peppers or siling labuyo are excellent illustrations of tactile sensations.
e. Flavor - This sensory quality is a composite of odor, taste, mouthfeel and sound. It could very well be called the sixth sense
in evaluating food. Thus far, our sensory organs have been discussed: the eyes, nose, tongue and skin including the mucous
linings of the mouth. The fifth sensory organ is the ear. The role of the sense of hearing is exemplified by the crunchiness or
crispness of certain foods. The joy of eating is heightened when one hears the sizzle of steaks and fried chicken or the
crackling sound of sitsaron, crisp green mango, crunchy nuts, potato chips or cookies.
Flavor is also affected by the temperature of the food, e.g, acidity and saltiness become less pronounced in higher
temperature and bitterness is more easily detected in cooler temperatures. Tasting is more accurately done when the food is
at room temperature. Odors when volatilized at boiling temperature, as in prolonged brewing of coffee, have less aroma in the
product.
4. Economy in the Use of Resources
In appraising the cost of preparing a recipe, one considers not only the raw food cost or the amount of money spent for the
ingredients, but also the amount of time, equipment and labor utilized for cooking, serving and storing the food.
5. Sanitary Quality
This aspect of food quality is so important that the whole subject is allotted to it. Food sanitation and safety should be
observed at all times in school or at home.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FOODS
Foods contain mainly water, protein, carbohydrates and fats as the macro -nutrients, i.e. these compounds are present in
comparatively larger amounts than others and are measurable in terms of grams per 100 grams which represent percentage by weight.
1. Water
Water is the most abundant compound in foods. Even the so-called pure and dry substances like sugar and salt have small
amounts of water on their crystals. Dry milk has traces of water and dry rice contains ten-percent moisture.
The three physical states of water, solid as ice, liquid, and gas as steam or water vapor, are important in food preparation
affecting the appearance, texture and flavor of the food.
2. Protein
Proteins are large, complex organic compounds composed of amino acids as the building units linked together in peptide
linkages as the primary structure or the backbone of the protein molecule
3. Carbohydrates
The most common carbohydrates in foods are sugars and starches which are in digestible forms and therefore are available
sources of energy to humans. Cellulose and hemi-cellulose are indigestible in the gastro-intestinal tract of man; they provide roughage
and bulk in the diet. Almost all carbohydrates are of plant origin which are synthesized by photosynthesis.
4. Fats
Fats are organic compounds that belong to a bigger group of water-soluble substances called lipids. Lipids are soluble in
organic solvents like chloroform, ether and benzene and should be utilized by living organism. The most common forms of lipids in
foods are fats and oils.
5. Minerals
Minerals are inorganic constituents as contrasted to the organic compounds: Protein, carbohydrate, fat and vitamins The
striking similarity between the salts of seawater and the mineral content of protoplasm supports the view that life might have originated
from the sea
The seventeen minerals of nutritional significance are: calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, magnesium,
iron, zinc, manganese, copper, selenium, iodine, molybdenum, cobalt, chromium and fluorine These minerals are widely distributed in
foods although specific foods are excellent sources of certain minerals.
6. Vitamins
Vitamins are potent organic compounds that occur in minute quantities in food. They are needed by the body to regulate
physiological processes for normal growth and maintenance of life Some of them are part of enzyme systems which catalyze chemical
reactions within the body.
7. Pigments
The variety of colors seen in foods is due chiefly to pigment substances within the plant or animal cell Reactions of the various
pigments in the presence of metals also bring about color changes. Chemicals are sometimes added to foods to effect certain colors, e
g, bleaching of flour, use of soda as in milk, adding cream of tartar for angel cakes, etc.
8. Enzymes
Enzymes are organic catalysts which are protein in nature and are produced by living These biocatalysts highly specific in
their reaction and are named after the cells substrate which they act. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions without themselves
undergoing change and only minute amounts are needed for the reaction to occur.
The role of enzymes in foods may be beneficial or undesirable
Useful Application of Enzymes in Foods
a. Meat tenderizers - Proteolytic enzymes like bromelin from pineapple and papain from papaya are effective tenderizers
of muscle meats.
b. Invertase - Sucrose inversion is facilitated by adding the enzyme invertase for certain confections like the soft
chocolate centers of candies.
c. Amylases - The splitting of starch in flour during bread-making by the presence of amylases yield fermentable sugars
to be acted upon by yeast.
d. Pectinases - Ripening of fruits is brought about in part by pectinases which change protopectin to pectin and pectic
acids.
e. Microbial enzymes - bring about fermentation and proteolysis as in patis and bagoong, vinegar and winemaking, and
cheese ripening.
Undesirable Reactions of Enzymes in Foods
a. Enzymatic browning
 b. Rancidity of fats and oils as in butter, coconut oil, and fat-rich c fat-rich foods like nuts wheat germ or rice bran,
bacon, etc.
c. Maturation of vegetables, as in sitaw or string beans, yellowing of ampalaya or green beans, corn, etc. If must be
remembered that long after harvest, enzymes remain active.
d. Spoilage of food like putrefied fish and meat or decaying fruits and vegetables are enzyme-accelerated.
9. Flavor components
Flavor components in foods include sugars, acids, aldehydes, esters, alcohol ketones and sulfuric compounds. Volatile
substances that stimulate the sense of smell are the gaseous forms of some of these compounds. Flavoring extracts according to the
FDA are "solutions in ethyl alcohol of sapid and odorous principles derived from aromatic plants or parts of the plants with or
without coloring matter and conforming to the name of the plant used for preparing the extract." Vanillin is the chief chemical
odorous and flavorful substance in vanilla extract. Menthol is the cool, biting flavor substance in mint or mint-containing foods. Safrol
and anethol are the flavoring materials of root beer
HEAT IN FOOD PREPARATION
Heat is a form of energy due to the vibratory or kinetic movement of molecules. Most of the cooking at home is accompanied
by the application of heat from several sources: wood, charcoal, gas or electricity. The cooking media to bring about heat distribution
and penetration include:
1. Water as in simmering, stewing, boiling and poaching
2. Air as in baking and oven roasting,
3. Steam as in pressure cooking and steaming:
4. Fat as in sauteing and deep-fat frying, or a
5. Combination of any two or more of the above as in braising or pot-roasting lead
Fundamental Means of Heat Transfer:
1. Convection is the transfer of thermal energy from electricity, gas or solid fuel to the vapor molecules of the air which in tum
heat the food or the utensil it comes in contact with
2. Radiation is the transfer of heat from a red hot coil of the griller, toaster or move to the food in a manner similar to how light
passes form a bulb to the object it illuminates. Unlike convection heating, radiant heating, immediately heats the food it strikes
on and the process can be blocked by an obstacle between the source and the object to be heated.
3. Conduction is the direct transfer of heat via metals or any heat-conducing materials containing the food. Among the metals,
copper has the highest rate of conductivity. Glass is a poor conductor of heat. Water and steam are better conductors air.
4. Microwave emission Microwave cooking is a relatively recent method of heat transfer in foods. It uses a special form of
electric current, the electromagnetic waves which are generated by the magnetron, a special vacuum tube
Methods of Heat Transfer in Cooking Foods:
1. Dry-heat method, i.e, the surrounding air transmits heat to the food and then the moisture is allowed to evaporate to a certain
degree. Examples frying, baking, roasting and broiling.
2. Moist-heat method, i.e., the liquids are used to transfer heat to the food as in stewing, steaming or pot roasting.
Measurement of Heat
The degree of hotness or the intensity of heat is expressed as the temperature of the object and this temperature is measured
in degrees Centigrade or Celsius (‘C) or degrees Fahrenheit (‘F).
Uses of Heat in Food Preparation
Heat brings about physical, chemical and microbiological changes of which may be undesirable to the quality of the
product. The time-temperature conditions of cooking or processing foods need testing such that the food is microbiologically safe and
yet its palatability factors, especially color, texture, shape and flavor are still within the acceptable range.
States of Matter in Foods
Food components can exist in different states of matter: solid, liquid, or gas. These states are foundational to food structure and
texture.
 1. Solid
Example: Ice in frozen desserts, sugar crystals in candy, and fats in butter.
Characteristics: Solids have a fixed shape and volume. In foods, they contribute to texture and structure. For
example, the crystalline structure of sugar affects the texture of candies.
2. Liquid
Example: Water in beverages, oils in dressings, and syrups in confections.
Characteristics: Liquids have a fixed volume but take the shape of their container. In foods, they can affect
consistency, moisture content, and mouthfeel.
3. Gas
Example: Air in whipped cream, carbon dioxide in soda, and steam in baked goods.
Characteristics: Gases have neither a fixed shape nor volume. They are critical in foods for leavening (e.g., bread)
and creating light, airy textures (e.g., mousse).
Dispersions in Foods
Dispersions are mixtures where one substance is dispersed in another. There are three main types of dispersions in foods: solutions,
colloids, and suspensions.
1. Solution
Definition: A homogeneous mixture where one substance (solute) is dissolved in another (solvent).
Example: Sugar dissolved in water to make a simple syrup.
Characteristics: Solutions are clear and stable, with the solute molecules completely dispersed at a molecular level.
2. Colloid
Definition: A mixture where tiny particles of one substance are dispersed throughout another without dissolving.
Types:
 Emulsions: A liquid dispersed in another liquid (e.g., oil in water in mayonnaise).
 Foams: Gas dispersed in a liquid or solid (e.g., whipped cream or bread).
 Gels: Liquids dispersed in solids (e.g., gelatin desserts).
Example: Milk (fat droplets dispersed in water), mayonnaise, and gelatin.
Characteristics: Colloids are generally stable but can separate over time without proper stabilization (e.g.,
emulsifiers in mayonnaise).
3. Suspension
Definition: A mixture where solid particles are dispersed in a liquid or gas but are not dissolved.
Example: Flour in water (before cooking), spices in sauces.
Characteristics: Suspensions can be cloudy and may settle over time, requiring stirring or shaking to redistribute the
particles.
Applications in Food
 Emulsions: Used in salad dressings, sauces, and butter, where oil and water phases are combined with an emulsifier to
create a stable mixture.
 Gels: Found in jams, jellies, and gelatin desserts, where liquid is trapped within a solid network.
 Foams: Essential in products like whipped cream, meringues, and mousses, where air is trapped within a liquid or solid matrix
to create a light, airy texture.
Understanding these states of matter and types of dispersions is essential for controlling the texture, stability, and overall quality of food
products.