FOOD SELECTION

Selection or choice of food is very important in meal management. Providing food in a manner
which is satisfactory to many people can be a complicated issue. The types of food you select
depends on:
• The money you have – the more money you have the more foods you can buy and the
greater your choice.
 Your nutritional needs – your food choice will also depend on your need for food.
Everyone has a biological need for food. People vary in the amount of food they need
for reason like health, age and activity.
• The effect of advertisements – advertisements have a way of persuading people to make
choices. Food manufacturers and shops advertise their products through television,
radio, magazines, newspapers, poster and leaflets.

FOOD PURCHASING
Factors that determine the cost of the things you want to purchase.
• Production cost – It is the amount of money used to produce the item.
• The season – Food items always cost less when they are in season because they are
plenty and so the supply becomes high.
• Demand of the goods – Usually when many people want a certain good, its price
increases.
• Advertisements – Advertisements cost money. The cost of advertising a production cost
to make up the price of a product.
• Amount of processing – Processing adds value to products and it costs money.

Factors that determine the amount of money we spend on food

For most people food budget is one of the largest expenses.
Careful planning and shopping can result in substantial savings.
• Your skills personal preferences’
• Your values and your lifestyle will all determine your food selection and hence the
money you spend buying food.
• The skill of bargaining for example would help you to buy goods at the cheapest
possible cost.
• Buying foods in season and in bulk also helps to cut down cost.
• Buying food from farm gates instead of from retailer also cuts cost.

Forms in which food is sold

Foods are sold in many forms. The form you buy is determined by the storage facilities you
have, how much convenience you need and what you want to use the food for. •Fresh foods –
Fresh foods provide most nutrients since processing may destroy the nutrients. Fresh foods are
natural and do not require fortification or processing.
They therefore cost less.
• Frozen foods – Frozen foods are much nearer to fresh foods as far as nutrient content is
concerned. Freezing prevents the action of enzymes and microorganisms. Frozen foods
 must be stored in the freezer in useable quantities.
• Dried Foods – Dried foods have their moisture removed. Some dried foods like milk
powder, can be reconstituted by adding water. Dried foods do not require refrigeration.
• Canned foods – Canned foods are convenient to use. They will not spoil as long as the
can is not punched. Canned foods should be stored in cool dry places.

Tips for Shopping

1. When buying food, choose the form that you can easily handle and which you can
afford.
2. Make a shopping list so that you buy the things you need without wasting time.
3. Choose the type and location of market appropriate to your needs.
4. Compare prices and quality of commodity before you buy.
5. Buy foods in bulk if you have storage facilities and money
6. Do not shop when you are hungry, it makes you buy more than necessary.
7. Do not take children along when you go shopping, they make you buy unnecessary
things.
8. Avoid impulse buying that is buying things you did not plan for.
9. When buy canned or packaged foods, look out for the expiry date or ‘use by’ date. It
is the last day a product is considered fresh.

POINTS TO CONSIDERED IN THE SELECTION OF SOME COMMODITIES

MEAT
The animal tissue considered specifically as food. Meat when cooked properly, is very
nutritious and flavorful component of a meal. Usually the most expensive item on a menu, meat
serves as important source of complete protein.
Meat refers to the parts of animal that are used as food. It includes pork, beef, mutton
and lamb, goat meat or chevron, carabao meat or carabeef, also horse meat and dog meat.
Lean meat is an important source of high quality protein, which amounts on the average
to 18% of the meat. High quality protein be regarded as an important source of vitamins B1
(1 mg. per 100 g), also a good source of iron and phosphorous.

Classification of Meat
1. Beef – Beef carcasses are classified on the basis of age and sex, steer carcasses are
preferred by retailer because of their heavier weight and higher proportion of meat to
bone.
• Steer – male castrated while young
• Heifer – young female that has not yet borne a calf
• Cow – female that has borne a calf
• Stag – male castrated after maturity
• Bull – matured male, not castrated
Beef Cuts
A. TENDER CUTS. Lie along the center of the back, because that part of the body is
affected little by exercise of the animal, the meat is tender.
• Rib. Yields the choicest roasts in the carcass
• Short Loin. tagilirang gitna
• Sirloin. tagilirang hulihan
B. LESS TENDER CUTS
• Round. pierna corta, made into round roast.
• Rump. tapadera, made into rump roast or tapa.
• Chuck. paypay, made into chuck rib roast or ground beef.
C. TOUGH CUTS
• Fore Shanks. kenchi or pata, made into stew
• Flank. kamto, made into flank steak, ground beef, beef patties.
• Short Plate. tadyang, made into short ribs, or ground beef
• Brisket. punta y pecho, made into stew or ground beef.
• Tip. Tip steak, tip roast
• Neck or Leg. Source of buto-buto, made into sinigang.
• Oxtail. buntot ng baka, made into kare-kare.

2. Veal – Meat from young animals of the bovine species usually from animals less than 3
months of age and may be of either sex; they are largely fed on milk products; the
minimum age for killing is 3 weeks; the term calf is applied to animals slaughtered from
3 to 8 months.
3. Lamb and Mutton – Sheep carcasses which classified as lamb and mutton according to
the age of the animal. Lamb is from young animals less than 14 months of age and may
be of either sex. Mutton carcasses are those that have passed the lamb stage. Mutton
meat is darker in color, less tender and has a strong flavor than lamb.

4. Pork – Most pork comes from young swine or either gender. Goodquality pork is from
young animals usually 7 to 12 months of get. In young animals there is no distinction in
quality or grade causeof sex. In order animals sex differences are pronounced.

Pork Cuts

• TENDER CUTS
Loin. Long muscle at the back of the pig locally known as lomo, slices made into porkchop,
when curer called Canadian bacon.
Leg. pige or hita, when cured it is called ham.
Side Bacon. liempo when cut cured to chunks can be made into lechon kawali.
Clean Plate.
Fat Back

• LESS TENDER CUTS

Boston Shoulder. kasim or paypay
Picnic Shoulder. kasim
Spare Ribs. buto sa tadyang
Knuckles or Pig’s Feet. pata, can be made into crispy pata
Tail. buntot, can be made into sinigang. Jowl. kalamnan can be made into stew. Head., can be
made into dinuguan.
Kilaver Lean Trimming or Pinagtabasaan. Used for various minced meat recopies, fat
trimmings are used for the preparation of lard.

Variety meat are internal organs of animals.

• Liver, largest gland of animal body.
• Tripe, part of the digestive tract of the beef cattle.
• Tongue
• Brain
• Heart
• Lungs
• Kidney
• Blood
• Ear
• Skin

Market Forms of Meat

• Fresh Meat
• Chilled Meat
• Frozen Meat
• Cured Meat

TENDERIZATION OF TOUGH AND LESS TENDER CUTS OF MEAT

1.) Mechanical Methods
• This involves the reduction of the size of meat to allow faster heat penetration during
cooking and easy separation fibers.
2.) Marinating
• Meat can be marinated in weak acids such as calamansi juice, kamias, tamarind and
vinegar. This tenderizing effect of acids is due to the greater solubilization of collagen at
lower ph.
3.) Use of Some Tropical Plant Enzymes
• Proteolytic enzymes such as papain from papaya and bromelin from pineapple
solubilizes some proteins thus tenderizing meat.

MEAT COOKERY
1.) Moist Heat Method
• The moist heat method of cooking involves cooking the food in a flavorful liquid bath.
The amount of liquid used varies with the technique employed. Moist heat cookery does
not cause food to be sealed during the initial step of the cooking process. The result is
that a certain amount of flavor is transferred to the cooking liquid from the food.
Generally, food cooked using the moist heat method has a delicate flavor and a pale
color.
• The moist heat techniques include steaming, shallow poaching, simmering and braising.

2.) Dry Heat Method

• So-called because the food is cooked either by a direct or indirect application of heat in
a closed environment, dry heat method involves cooking meat without the addition of
liquid to it during cooking, resulting in a moist interior and a flavorful exterior. This is
suitable for naturally tender cuts of meat which are low in connective tissues and do not
require water to solubilize collagen. The dry heat techniques include grilling and
broiling, roasting, sautéing and deep-frying.

PRINCIPLES OF COOKING MEAT

1.) The ideal cooking temperature range of meat is from low to moderate heat. Such
temperature improves the palatability and texture of the meat. This results in the minimal
shrinkage and minimal nutrient loss.
2.) Tough meat cuts should be cooked using moist heat or with liquid at low temperature over
long periods.
3.) To prevent bacterial growth, meat should not be removed from its wrapping when thawed.
In addition, defrosted meat should be immediately cooked and should never be frozen.
4.) Because pork may contain high levels of pathogens or parasites, it should be cooked
thoroughly.
5.) When roasting or broiling meat, its internal temperature must be maintained at a safe level to
ensure its safety.

POULTRY
Poultry refers to several kinds of fowl that are used as food and the term includes, chicken,
turkey, duck, pigeon, and quail.

Market Forms of Poultry

Live Poultry. When selecting live poultry, choose those birds that are alert, healthy, well
featured and well formed. They should have a good fat covering, free of tears, broken bones,
bruises and blisters.
Whole Poultry. This is similar to the form of the live poultry but is no longer alive.
Dressed Poultry. These are slaughter birds that have been bled, defeathered. The head, feet and
viscera are still intact.
Drawn Poultry. These are slaughtered birds that have been bled, defeathered and visceral
organs removed.
Poultry Parts. In this form, several pieces of a single poultry part are usually packed in one
box, wrapped and are chilled or frozen.
• Dark meat – drumstick, thighs, wings, neck, backs, and rib cage.
• White meat – breasts
• Variety meats – gizzards, heart and liver

Poultry Cuts
Breast– is a breast piece separate from the carcass as the name implies. The breast may be cut
into two nearly equal parts along the breast-bone. No neck skin can be included in any of these.

Legs - include thigh and drumstick. Legs may be separated into its parts and are packaged and
sold such.
Back– includes the pelvic bones and all the vertebrae posterior to the shoulder joint.
Neck - includes that portion that is separated from the breast at the shoulder joint.
Wings– include the entire wing with skin and muscle intact, the tip may be removed.

Purchasing of Meats
Meat prices vary according to the cut quality and kind. Selection is made according to the
intend use in preparation. Meat should be bought from a clean and hygienic shop.
• Conformation or Form – refers to the shape or build of the animal. Good form consists
of short, thick, compact build, with large muscles, which have high proportion of meat to bone.
• Finish – indicates the amount and distribution of fat.

• Quality
a. Lean meat is bright red in color
b. It is fine grained and smooth to touch
c. Fat is firm, brittle and creamy white in color
d. The best quality pork has muscles that are grayish white to pink in young and deep rose
in older animals.
e. The flesh is firm and fine grained
f. The bones are soft and red
g. It has minimum of fat.
h. Poultry should have a meaty body with meaty legs and breast.
i. The skin is free from any discoloration
j. Should be free from bad odor.
k. Slime on the surface of meat indicates deterioration

Fish and Shellfish (SEAFOODS)

- Seafood refers to any sea animal or plant that is served as food and eaten by humans.
A. Fish – is an excellent source of protein, and it is interchangeable with meat in both
quantity and quality. Fish is rich in fat and provides energy for work. It is interesting to
note that fish fat is easy to digest. Marine fishes are a good source of iodine and
phosphorous but low in iron and in calcium.
Classification of Fish
• Fish (vertebrate)
• Shellfish (invertebrate)

Determination of Fish Quality

• Eyes -The fresh fish you are buying needs to have bright, full and clear eyes. If you
notice the eyes as being cloudy, pink or sunken, do not buy it.
• Flesh - When checking out your fresh fish, check to see the meat is firm to the touch.
When you press it gently, it should bounce back quickly. The flesh on the fresh fish will be
elastic.
• Gills - Another indicator of a good whole fresh fish are its gills. The color should be a
bright, vibrant color like red or pink. The gills should have no slime covering them.
• Skin – The fresh fish should have scales that are tightly attached and shiny. The skin
should not have any spots or markings on it that appear dull.

Composition and Nutritive Value

• Protein – has the same percentage of protein content as with meat.
• Fish Protein Concentrate – also known as fish flour produced from dehydrated and
defatted whole fish; used to supplement bread and cereal products consumed by human.
• Fat – lower fat content than beef exceptions are salmon, turbot, butterfish, and catfish
which range from 11 to 20% fat and therefore resemble beef, and shellfish and are notably low
in fat.
• Water and Extractives – has higher water content than beef and lower in extractives.
• Carbohydrate – have some carbohydrate in the form of glycogen the sweet taste of
various shellfish is due to the glucose formed by enzyme action from the glycogen.
• Vitamins – fat fish contain more vitamin A than lean varieties.

Classification of Fish on the Basis of their Fat Content

• Lean Fish – Have less than 2% fat in their edible flesh; while flesh-fish fat content only
found in the liver.
• Medium Fat Fish – have from 2 – 5% fat, white-fleshed fish, fat content is normally
found in the liver.
• Fat Fish – with more than 5% fat in the edible flesh, the flesh is usually
highly pigmented (either yellow, pink or grayish) than that of the low-fat
varieties; e.g. salmon, mackerel etc.

Market Forms of Finfish

• Live Fish – These are fishes which can be marketed alive because they live long after
catch.
• Whole or Round Fish – This is the form in which most fresh fish is distributed in local
market fish stalls. Whole or round fish is the form of the fish as it comes from the water but it is
no longer alive.
• Drawn Fish – This is a whole fish with only the entrails removed. Preparation for
cooking is the same as that for whole or round fish except evisceration. Most frozen fish in
modern supermarkets are also available in this form.
• Dressed Fish – This is the fish, which has been scaled and eviscerated. Sometimes the
head, tail and fins are also removed.
• Fillets - These are the two meaty sides of the fish cut lengthwise away from the
backbone.
• Deboned - This is the form most convenient in the cause of bangus, where the bones of
the fish are removed.
• Steaks - These are cross section slices of dressed fish which are relatively of large size,
e.g. tanigi and tambakol.
• Sticks – These are fillets of steaks cut further into portion in uniform width and length
like sticks hence the name. They are usually frozen and breaded and are ready to cook.
• Flake – yung meaning po nito wala din po sa senend ni maam po

B. Shellfish – is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton – bearing aquatic

invertebrates used as food.
Crustaceans – are shellfishes with hard shells over the back of the body and along the claws but
have softer shells covering the lower part of the body and legs.

Mollusks – There are two types of mollusks

• Univalves – with only one shell.
• Bivalves – with two shells.

Selection of Fresh Shellfish

• Shell – See to it that the shell is not cracked. It should not be slimy but moist.
One of the shells should be well cupped. In case of lobster or crabs, it should be solid shell, with
no open or soft spots.
• Meat/Flesh – In mollusks, when you crack open the shell, the fresh meat should be covered
with its own liquid. This liquid needs to be either slightly milky or a light gray color, or clear in
nature. The flesh should also be plump in appearance. The flesh does not have any grit or shell
bits in it. Fish fillets should appear moist, firm and freshly cut. Prepackaged seafood should
contain only a minimum amount of liquid.
• Color – Shellfish should be bright in color with no discoloration or dryness.
• Smell – Good quality seafood smells sea fresh. It should not have a strong odor or smell
“fishy”. There should be no odor that is offensive to you.
• Claws – The live lobster have its claws taped shut.

Where to Buy Fresh Seafood?

When buying your fresh seafood, you need to be careful where to buy it. There are some things
to look for to ascertain the freshness. Here are some tips for you to follow:

• Notice the smell

• Notice the location.
• Notice the reputation.
• Notice the handling.

DAIRY PRODUCTS
Dairy products are generally defined as foods produced from cow’s or domestic buffalo’s milk.
They are usually high-energy- yielding food .Raw milk for processing comes mainly from cows,
and, to a lesser extent,from other mammals such as goat, sheep, yaks, camels, or horses. Most
dairy products contain large amounts of saturated fat.

Milk Processing
1. Milk – is the lacteal secretion of mammary glands intended for the nourishment of
young mammals? Milk is the only food for which there seems to be adequate substitute.
It constitutes about the entire diet for the young of all animals. The price of milk is
indirectly related to the amount of fat present.
Types of Dairy Products
• Pasteurization. The process of heating milk to a temperature of at least 63°C or 145°F
and holding it at that temperature for 30 minutes. It destroys all pathogenic microorganisms
and most of the nonpathogenic bacteria as well.
• Homogenization. Consist of forcing milk or cream under pressure through a small
aperture in a machine called a homogenizer in order to break up the fat into much smaller
globules, which will remain dispersed.
• Fortification. Consist of the addition of certain nutrients as a means of improving the
nutritional inadequacies of milk or as a means of exploiting popular interest in nutrition.
 Whole Milk
 Raw Milk

Market Forms or Milk

Possible adulterants and the ways of detecting them in milk are as follows:
• Water -may be detected by freezing point determination. The average freezing point of
whole cow’s milk is -0.05°C.
• Rice Washing – may be detected by reaction of iodine with rice starch. If milk gives a
blue color with iodine, then it is likely adulterated with rice washing or other starches.
• Coconut Milk – May be detected by resorcinol test which gives a violet color of the milk
is adulterated with gata.
 Pasteurized Milk
 Sterilized Whole Milk
 Skim Milk
 Low Fat Milk
 Concentrated Milk
 Evaporated Milk
 Sweetened Condensed Milk
 Nonfat Dry Milk
 Dried Whole Milk
  Toned Milk
 Infant Feed Formulas
 Canned and Frozen Whole Milks
 Soft-curd Milk
 Low-sodium Milk
 Malted Milk
 Cultured Milk
 Flavored Milk and Milk Drinks
 Filled Milk

2. Cheese- a generic term for a diverse group of milk- based food products. Cheese is
produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms.
Cheese consists of proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep.
It is produced by coagulation of the milk protein casein. Typically, the milk is acidified and
addition of the enzyme rennet causes coagulation. The solids are separated and pressed into
final form. Some cheeses have molds on the rind or throughout. Most cheeses melt at cooking
temperature.

Classification of Cheese
A. According to Moisture Content
• Soft cheeses have very high moisture content ranging from 55 to 80%
• Semi-soft cheeses have 34 to 55% moisture.
• Hard cheeses have 13 to 34 percent moisture.
B. According to the Ripening Treatment
Ripening - the change in physical and chemical properties, such as aroma, flavor, texture and
composition, that takes place between the time of precipitation of the curd and the time when
the cheese develops desired characteristics for its type.
• Unripened
• Ripened

Kinds of Cheese
• Native Cheese or Kesong Puti – it is made from carabao milk. Native cheese-making in
the Philippines is an old cottage industry in the provinces of Laguna, Bulacan, and Cebu.
• Cheddar Cheese – it is usually packaged in carbon boxes with aluminum foil enclosing
it and does not need refrigeration until, opened. They are conveniently used in macaroni and
spaghetti dishes.
• Cream Cheese – It is spreadable. It has a creamy white smooth appearance prepared
by coagulating case in with rennet after the milk has slightly soured. It needs to be
refrigerated. It makes a delicious sandwich and cracker spread as well as dressing for fruit
salads. It is also one of the most expensive.
• Mozzarella – Is used for pizza pies and lasagna. It is mild, delicate unripened cheese
and originated in Italy.
• Edam Cheese – It is ripened cheese but with no gas holes. This is the well-known
 keso de bola available at Christmas time. It is ball-shaped with bright red paraffin
coating. It has smooth solid texture and mild-nut flavor and is saltier than cheddar
cheese. It is originated from Holland. It blends well to grating for such dishes as baked macaron
• Parmesan Cheese – This is usually available in grated form. It has salty and smokey
flavor and yellow-white color.
• Blue Cheese – Used in salad dressing, blue or bleu cheese is a semi- soft cheese with
blue mold growing throughout the curd. It is mold- ripened which has a sharp salty tangy
flavor. It is white but blue veins, hence the name. The blue color vein is produced during the
ripening period by the blue-green mold Penicillin Roqueforti. The blue color is actually the
spore of the mold.
• Swiss Cheese – The bacterial ripening process gives a largeshiny holes, which
distinguishes it from other cheese. It has a pale creamy color and can impress one as
having a somewhat soapy taste.
• Limburger – It is semi-soft, smooth and creamy yellow. It is known for its offensive
odor possibly due to protect breakdown during ripening which is obvious to those who have
not developed a taste for it. It originated from Belgium.
• Gouda – This is a firm cheese that is pale yellow which is a mild nut- like flavor. It is
originated from Holland. Like Edam cheese it has red wax coating and has the shape of a ball, it
is smaller.
• Provolone – This is a firm cheese with white, brown or yellow rind. It has a
smooth firm texture. Sometimes pieces of salami are incorporated in the cheese. This type
originated in Italy.
• Gorgonzola – This is an off-white, crumbly and pungent semi-hard cheese that is mold
ripened. Like blue cheese, it also has blue veins. It has a spicy, tangy and peppery flavor.
Originated from Italy.
• Roquefort – This another blue veined cheese like gorgonzola and blue cheese and is
made of sheep’s milk. It is product of France. It is the most famous of all blue veined cheese.

3. Ice Cream - are milk products and frozen desserts that are quite popular in the
Philippines especially in hot summer days. They are frozen mixture of cream and milk,
sugar, flavoring and stabilizers.

4. Cream– is the fat of milk, which separates by gravity or by the use of separator from
other constituents of milk.
Classification of Cream
• Whipping Cream
• Light or Coffee Cream – thinner than whipping cream
• Half-and Half. Mixture of milk and light cream
Selection of Products
Dairy
1. Cheese should not have a foul smell.
2. It should not be slimy nor feel slippery on touch.
3. Select milk according to quality needed.
- Toned milk (no cream)
- Full cream (buffalo milk)
4. Check color and taste. Milk has a slight sweet taste. Stale milk has sour taste and
unpleasant smell.
5. It should be wrapped in waterproof packaging material.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

-give color, flavor and texture to our meals.
A. Vegetables– are plants or part of plant such as root, tubers, bulbs, stems, shoots, leaves,
fruits, and flowers used raw or cooked, served generally in salads but not as deserts.

Classification of Vegetables
According to Parts of Plant Used
• Roots – high in carbohydrates and low in water; are underground part of plants.
• Tubers – high in carbohydrates and low in water; are short thickened fleshy parts or
an underground stem
• Bulbs – high in carbohydrate low in water; are underground buds that send down roots
and are made up of a very short stem covered with layers.
• Seeds – low water content; are parts from which a new plant will grow.
• Leaves – high in water and low in carbohydrate; include alugbati ar Malabar night
shade, ampalaya or bitter melon, talbos ng kamote, cabbage, lettuce. Parsley, spinach.
• Fruits – include bitter melon, bottle gourd, sayote, cucumber, eggplant, langkang hilaw
or unripe jackfruit, okra, patola or sponge gourd, squash, or tomatoes, sweet peper, cayenne
pepper, siling maanghang or chili pepper.
• Flowers – high in water and low in carbohydrates are exemplified by cauliflower,
bulaklak ng kalabasa or squash flowers, katuray or sesban flower, broccoli
According to Chemical Composition
• Carbohydrate-rich. Such a seeds, roots and tubers.
• Protein-rich. Include seeds such as legumes and pulses. To name a few: mungo beans
and soybeans.
• Fat-rich. Such as nuts, olives and avocado.
• High moisture content. Such as mushrooms, tomatoes, kintsay or c elery, cauliflower,
radish, lettuce, cabbage.

According to Nutritive Value

The vegetables may either be sources of protein, vitamins or minerals. Vegetables are most
commonly sought for because of their Vitamin A, Vitamin B, or Vitamin C content.
Purchasing of Vegetables
• Season
• Ripeness
• Freshness
• Yield
• Freedom from bruising or mold are considered or decay

VEGETABLES are edible parts of plant used as food.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF VEGETABLES
1. ACCODING TO PARTS OF PLANTS USED
ROOTS – are underground parts of plants.
Ex. Apulid, sweet potatoes, cassava
TUBERS – are short thickened fleshly parts of an underground stem.
Ex. Potato, Jerusalem, artichokes
BULBS – are underground buds of seeds down roots and made up of a very short stem covered
with layer.
Ex. Garlic, onion
SEEDS – are parts from which young or new plants will grow.
Ex. Mongo, beans, paayap
STEM AND SHOOTS – are stock supporting leaves, flowers and fruits.
LEAVES – includes pechay, malunggay
2. ACCORDING TO CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CARBOHYDRATES RICH – such as seeds, roots and tubers.
PROTEIN DISH – includes seeds, legumes and pulse.
FAT RICH – such as nuts, olives, coconut
HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT – such as mushroom, celery and radish
3. ACCORDING TO FLAVOR
MILD – has a delicate flavor like peas, carrots and eggplants
STRONG – has a strong flavor but can be eliminated
Ex. Onion, garlic, ginger, pepper
MARKET FORMS OF VEGETABLES
FROZEN – shorter cooking time is recommended.
DEHYDRATES – dried vegetables.
Ex. Peas and beans
CANNED – lost some of their vitamins and minerals.
Ex. Green peas, garbanzos, andmushroom
POINTERS IN BUYING VEGETABLES
 Buy only vegetables that are fresh and in season.
 Buy only the quality you can use while they are still fresh.
 Select the vegetables market where a good method of serving and storing vegetables
need.
 Go in person rather than phones your order.
 Shop early the day before the supply has been picked up.
 Select vegetables that are free from defects.
  Select the vegetables of good color.
 Avoid buying vegetables showing brown areas.
 Buy vegetables within them dark green leaves

PREPARATIONS OF VEGETABLES
 Vegetables should be washed very carefully under cool running water especially if they
are to be eaten raw.
 Vegetables should be thoroughly inspected for blemishes, decayed parts and worms.
 Vegetables should be cut to suit the purpose.
 When paring, pare as thinly as possible to minimize waste.
 Vegetables should be prepared just before cooking.
 Cook vegetables tender crisp.
 Vegetables should be served as soon as they bought
WAYS OF COOKING VEGETABLES
BOIL – it is common because it takes less time than other method and the equipments needed in
cooking are simple.
FRY – vegetables are cooked in small amount of fat.
FRENCH FRY – cooking in a hot fat deep enough to cover or float vegetables.
BROIL – to cook vegetables by direct heat.
BRAISE – to brown vegetables in small amount of liquid.
STEAM – to preserve the color and nutritional values.
PRESSURE COOK – this method reduces cooking time.
BAKE – vegetables are cooked in an oven.
SAUTE – vegetables are cook quickly in small amount of fat.

B.Fruits - are produced from a flower or flowers and are the ripened ovary or ovaries
of a plant together with adjacent tissues. It is consider as one of the most powerful and
flavorful foods. It is delightful starter, dessert or snack, freshed or cooked.
Changes During Ripening
• Decrease in green color
• Softening of the flesh
• Development of the characteristic pleasant flavors
• Changes in soluble solids
Selection of Some Common Fruits
• Apple - Good quality apples are firm, crisp, and well colored.
• Avocadoes - Contain about 16% fat; when ready for use they should yield to gentle
pressure on the skin; refrigerator slows down ripening.
• Bananas - Sensitive to cool temperatures, ideal temperature is 16 to 21°C. Should be
firm, bright and free from bruises.
• Citrus Fruits - Quality is based on color, maturity, firmness, shape, juiciness, quality
of skin, bruises and blemishes.
• Grapes - Should be plump, well colored and firmly attached to the stem.
• Melons - Heaviness in relation to size , usually a characteristics aroma,
characteristic color, freedom from abnormal shape, decay and diseases
• Pineapples - Often yellow but can vary from dark green to brown gold, are
heavy in relation to size and well-shaped; when ready to eat have rich fragrant aroma and feel
springy and should be kept in the refrigerator.

CEREALS AND LEGUMES

A. Cereals – are cultivated plants of grass family that yield edible seeds or grains.
Common Cereal Grains
• Rice – rough palay that is soaked, steamed, dried and finally milled
• Wheat – wheat traditionally grows in a temperate climate. It is internationally favored
for its bread making properties.
• Corn – whole kernels from which the bran and germ have been removed
• Millet or sorghum – Miller grains are smaller than wheat and rice kernels.
• Rye – Is the major cereal grain in Northern Europe. Its principal feature is its hardiness.
It is more resistant to cold weather, pest and diseases than wheat.
• Oats – Oats as a cereal crop can grow well in poor soil and dull, rainy climate.
• Triticale – Its flour is suitable for making breads and noodles. Its palatability in breads
approaches that of whole-wheat flour and is rated superior to rye flour.
B. Legumes - have been the succulent seeds of plants. They yield a great source of protein,
thiamine, folic acid, vitamin E, and fiber. The irresolvable essential element in legumes helps to
reduce blood cholesterol.
Some Common Legumes
• Black beans are medium-sized, oval beans with black skin. They have a slightly sweet
flavor and are often used in soups, or served with rice.
• Black-eyed peas are medium-sized, oval beans that are cream colored with a black dot.
They have a sharp flavor and smooth texture. They are usually served with rice or eaten as a
side dish.
• Garbanzo beans, also called chickpeas, are medium-sized, round beans that are beige in
color. They have a nutty flavor and firm texture
• Kidney beans, also called Mexican red beans, are large and kidney-shaped with a strong
flavor and soft texture.
• Lentils are lens-shaped seeds. There are two common types of lentils. One type of
lentil is small and brown and the other is larger and yellow.
• Navy beans are small, white, oval beans with a mild flavor and powdery texture.
• Pinto beans are medium-sized, oval beans with a spotty beige and brown color. They
turn completely brown when cooked.

• Black-eyed Beans
• Black Beans
• Navy Beans
• Pinto Beans
• Kidney Beans
 • Lentils Garbanzo s

Selection of Cereals and Legume

• Should be clean. e.g. without any stones, bits of stalk or rotting grains
• Should not have any lumps or webs which are formed because of insects and weevils.
• Grains should be big, hard and dry.
• Should have proper color and appearance.

PROCESSED FOODS
Modern diets consist of over-processed foods and lifeless foods which produce little
enzyme activity and contain little or no fibrous material. We are eating devitalized foods that
are not fresh, with fewer nutrients.
All the natural fiber, such as grain peels, have been removed in the refining stages.
Because of this the diet is poor in fiber, digestion is slow and the waste materials stay
in the body longer. This sets up the perfect condition for toxic materials to form. Also,
processed foods can contain huge amounts of chemicals and toxins which were added in the
processing.
We are eating lots of chemicals like coloring agents, artificial flavors and preservatives
that can make the food appear more attractive and taste fresher.

Why Food is Processed?

Preservatives are used to increase the life of foods by controlling the growth of undesirable
molds, yeast, and bacteria in food which might otherwise cause spoilage and subsequently
illnesses. Most food is processed and packed to stop it going bad.
Methods of Preserving
• Drying - is an ancient way of preserving foods. Dried food is hard on the outside
microbes find it hard to penetrate. Drying does destroy most of the vitamins, can lead to a
higher taste concentration.
• Salting- These are also the traditional ways used all over the world to preserve food.
Meat is covered in salt then hung to dry. This is called curing. The salt draws a lot of
the moisture out of the meat and also protects against microbes.
• Pickling- Sugar is used to preserve fruits. Thus, we have jam and sweet pickles. The
sugar stops the microbes left after the preserve is boiled from growing. Vinegar Is used to pickle
vegetables. The vinegar retards microbe growth because it is so acidic and stops exposure to
oxygen, which the microbes need to survive.
• Smoking - The Smoking involves hanging meat over wood fires and allowing the
hot smoke to cure the meat. This also gives it a distinctive flavor. Most of the "smoked" products
on the market today, however, have actually just had the "smokey" flavors added to them.

Modern Method of Preserving

• Pasteurization - This is the process of heating a liquid, particularly milk, in order to destroy
harmful bacteria without changing the composition, flavor, or nutritive v alue of the liquid.
French chemist Louis Pasteur devised the process in 1865.
Milk is pasteurized by heating at a temperature of 63° C (145° F) for 30 minutes, rapidly cooling
it, and then storing it at a temperature below 10° C (50° F).
• Sterilization - The time and temperature required for the sterilization of foods are
influenced by several factors, including the type of microorganisms found on the food, the size
of the container, the acidity or pH of the food, and the method of heating.
• Irradiation - This is a highly controversial method of preserving foods. We have an
article on this.
• Freezing - Microbes multiply in warm environments. Freezing renders most of the
microbes inactive. Refrigeration slows the growth of some microbes. Before food is frozen, it is
plunged into boiling water to kill off as many microbes as possible so the food can keep longer.

Selection of Processed Foods

• You should never buy dented cans because bacteria might be able to get in. And don't
buy bulging cans because microbes have already gotten in.
• These should not be bulging tins/ bottles, and bottle caps should not be broken.
• Tins/tetra packs should not be damages or lacking.
• Rusty can may contain spoiled food
• Opened or damaged packages
• Moldy or colored drie