Food Properties

1. Food Properties Lesson Objectives To understand the different functions of food. Know the different words used to describe food functions.

2. Food Properties Different foods have different working properties when treated in certain ways or combined with other foods. We will go through the working properties you need to know about.

3. Aerating Aerating makes a mixture lighter. Raising agents can be added e.g. Baking powder gives off CO2 Yeast in bread produces CO2 Adding air through mixing Use of steam in a batter mix

4. Binding Ingredients are bound together to create different flavours and textures through the coagulation of protein. E.g. The use of egg in meatballs

5. Caramelising Caramelisation occurs when you heat sugar crystals or syrup they decompose to produce a range of brown products called caramel.

6. Browning • During cooking and processing in dry heat, when sugar are mixed with protein in baked products, browning and pleasant baked smell occurs • Called Maillard Reaction

7. Emulsifying Emulsifying uses eggs to help mix two liquids that would normally stay separate, such as water and oil. A stabiliser works by absorbing large amounts of water. And binding to ensure it doesnt separate.

8. Flavouring Flavouring helps to make something taste better, by adding fats, eggs, pulses, fruit, sugar, milk, oil, herbs or spices.

9. Moistening Moistening helps to remove the dryness from foods. Fats, eggs, fruit, sugar, milk or oil are used for moistening.

10. Preserving Preserving helps food to last longer, through freezing, canning, jam-making pickling etc. Foodstuffs used in preserving are fats, sugar, vinegar and oil.

11. Setting/Coagulation This is when you heat proteins their structure denatures and the protein sets. Protein is affected by: Heat Whisking Acid ( lactic acid is added to cheese to make it set)

12. Shortening Shortening is the use of oils and fats such as butter and lard, to reduce the development of gluten in pastry, which makes the pastry dough less stretchy. The fat coats the flour and prevents too much water from being absorbed during the mixing and produces a crumbly, short-textured, melt-in-the-mouth effect.

13. Gelatinisation Starch granules found in flour (cornflour, arrowroot, etc.) are heated with liquid the granules swell as the temperature rises. Over 75c the granules rupture and soak up the liquid. Creates white sauce, when cooled the sauce sets solid i.e. filling of lemon meringue.

14. Dextrinisation When starch is subjected to dry heat ( such as with toast) the starch is converted to sugar and then to caramel. It goes golden brown.

15. Sweetening Sweetening improves the flavour of certain foods by adding sugar or fruit, e.g. sugar will help to soften the sharp taste of grapefruit.

16. Thickening Thickening is the use of eggs, pulses, cereals and fruit to thicken liquids such as milk. (Usually heat is applied, as in the making of egg custard).

17. Foamimg Foaming is the use of eggs to increase the volume or amount of space occupied by a substance. For example egg whites will trap air when whisked/beaten and will produce a mass of bubbles called a 'foam' - a process used in the making of meringues.

18. Fortification • Foods are fortified to improve and enhance their nutrional content. • E.g. White flour – Calcium • Breakfast cereals – iron and vit B • Margarine – Vitamins A and D

19. As you can see, most of these working properties can be found in many different foods…

20. Your Task You need to research (books and internet) the different functions and complete the worksheet below