INTRODUCTION TO

FOOD
SCIENCE
NUDI 101: BASIC FOODS 1
Food
Science
❑study of the physical, chemical,
microbiological and sensory
aspects of food
❑the transformation that food
undergoes as reflected by
changes in the characteristics
and properties

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BASIC CONCEPTS IN FOOD SCIENCE
HEAT is a form of energy associated
with the motion of atoms or
molecules. When a substance absorbs
heat, its molecules move faster.

TEMPERATURE can be defined as a

measure of this molecular activity.
The higher the temperature, the
faster the molecules are moving.

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BASIC CONCEPTS IN FOOD SCIENCE
The moving molecules in a liquid such as
water sometimes move to the surface with
enough energy to break through and escape
to become a gas. This is called
EVAPORATION.

When we add enough heat to foods, the

molecules may move so fast the structure of
the food changes. Creating these molecular
changes is called COOKING.
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BASIC CONCEPTS IN FOOD SCIENCE
Hot water evaporates faster than cold
water because the molecules of hot water have
more energy to escape the surface and turn
into a gas molecule. When a water molecule does
this, the molecule becomes a molecule of water vapor
(or steam).

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HEAT MANAGEMENT
The final temperature to Cooking time—that is, the time it
takes to heat food until it changes to
which we cook food ranges a condition that we call done.
from about 120°F (49°C) for
rare meats and fish to about
400°F (200°C) for the crisp
exterior of such foods as
breads and seared meats.
The boiling point of water,
212°F (100°C), falls within
this range.

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HEAT MANAGEMENT
Doneness and Cooking Times
Interior temperature is the
most important factor when
we are cooking tender meats.
The difference between rare,
medium, and well done is a
difference in temperature,
and we can measure this
doneness with a
thermometer.
❑DIGESTABILITY
❑PALATABILITY
❑SAFETY 8
HEAT MANAGEMENT
Controlling Heat
To control cooking, we must
control how heat is
transferred. Controlling
cooking with so many options
is a skill a cook gains with
experience, by performing
cooking tasks over and over.

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD
Foods are composed of proteins, fats,
carbohydrates, and water, plus small
amounts of other compounds such as
minerals (including salt), vitamins,
pigments (coloring agents), and flavor
elements. It is important to
understand how these components
react when heated or mixed with
other foods.
EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
CARAMELIZATION
A process in which dry sugar,
or a sugar solution with most
of its water evaporated, is
heated until it melts into a
clear, viscous liquid and, as
heating continues, turns into a
smooth, brown mixture.

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
Different kinds of sugars caramelize
at different temperatures.
▪ Regular sucrose (table sugar)
begins to melt at 320°F (160°C).
▪ When it reaches approximately
338°F (170°C) it begins to turn
golden brown.
▪ The more the sugar is heated, the
more the compounds break down,
resulting in a darker color and a
bitter flavor.
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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
The more the sugar is heated, the more the
compounds break down, resulting in a
darker color and a bitter flavor. Heavily
caramelized sugar is less sweet than
lightly caramelized sugar, because
more of the sugar molecules are
destroyed.

Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

https://theloopywhisk.com/2021/11/14/quick-easy-homemade-
salted-caramel-sauce/ 14
EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
Starch molecules consist of long chains. In their
raw form, these molecules are packed into tiny
bundles called starch granules. These granules
change form in the presence of water and heat.

❑THICKENER
❑BULK (BAKED GOODS)

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
To demonstrate how starches behave
when heated, first mix a little cornstarch
with cold water and let it stand. You will
see that the starch settles to the bottom.
It does not dissolve in water as sugar
does.

When mixed with cold water, starch

granules absorb very little water.

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
❑ As the water is heated, the individual
granules absorb water and swell to a
much larger size.
❑ The granules become so big that they
bump into each other when the liquid is
stirred or poured, and this slows down
the flow. Thus, the liquid becomes
thicker.

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
The browning of
starch when
subjected to dry heat
– breaking the
starch into dextrin.
This process is called
dextrinization.

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EFFECTS OF ACID ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
Acids make sauces thinner because
they break apart some of the starch
chains. If you will be adding an acid
to a sauce, you may need to make
the base sauce a little thicker than
usual. For best results, don’t add
acids to sauces until the
gelatinization or thickening is
complete.

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THE ROLE OF ACIDITY IN FLAVOR
Acidic ingredients play an
important role in flavor,
adding bright, fresh notes
and enhancing other
ingredients, in particular
providing balance to both
bitterness and sweetness.

LEMON GARLIC GREEK YOGURT MARINATED CHICKEN

https://hungryhappens.net/lemon-garlic-greek-yogurt-marinated-chicken/#recipe 21
AROMA COMPOUNDS
6-acetyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyridine is
responsible for the biscuit or cracker-like odor
present in baked goods like bread, popcorn,
tortilla products.

The structurally related compound 2-acetyl-

1-pyrroline has a similar smell, and also
occurs naturally without heating and gives
varieties of cooked rice their aroma.
EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
Loss of pigmentation. There are three families of pigments found in fruits and vegetable plants,
which vary depending on the ripening stage of the plant and the cooking method used

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
Chlorophyll – is a fat-soluble green pigment which may leach from fruit
and vegetables if they are cooked in a medium containing fat.
Prolong cooking results to conversion of chlorophyll to pheophytin a (a grey-
green colored pigment), or pheophytin b (an olive-green colored pigment).
▪ Acid = greyish green color
▪ Alkaline = mushy texture

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
Carotenoids – pigments ranging from yellow to
deep red, and are also fat-soluble; carotenoids
can undergo oxidation, which occurs when the
carotenoid cells come into direct contact with the
air and react with oxygen molecules leads to the
degradation of the pigment
▪ Acid = firm texture
▪ Alkaline = mushy texture

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
CARBOHYDRATES
Flavonoids: anthocyanins and anthoxanthins are water-soluble
pigments Cooking methods avoiding water such as stir-frying will thus
minimize the loss of these flavonoids during heating.
Anthocyanins – red, blue, or purple pigments according to the pH
▪Acid = maintains color
▪Alkaline = bluish hues = mushy texture
Anthoxanthins – white pigment
▪Acid = maintains color + firm texture
▪Alkaline = yellow hues +mushy texture

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
PROTEIN
Protein is a major
component of meats,
poultry, fish, eggs, milk,
and milk products. It is
present in smaller
amounts in nuts, beans,
and grains.

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
PROTEIN

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
Proteins consist of long chains of components called
amino acids. These chains normally form tight coils.
As proteins are heated, the coils gradually unwind.
At this point, the protein is said to be denatured.
PROTEIN
When the protein coils unwind, they become attracted
to each other and form bonds. This bonding is called
coagulation. The coagulated proteins form a solid
network of bonds and become firm.
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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
PROTEIN
❑ temperature increase = shrink, firmer, and
lose more moisture.
❑ excessive heat = tough and dry
❑ coagulation or are cooked at 160°–185°F
(71°–85°C).

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
PROTEIN
Physical Changes Chemical Changes
Physical changes in denaturation and ▪ The heated strands of proteins are
coagulation: unraveled from their structure and protein
▪ The food substance become a solid state and bonds are broken down.
have a tougher surface after these two ▪ The prolonged heat causes protein strands to
processes. vibrate and tangle with each other.
▪ The color of food substance will change after
application of denaturation and coagulation.

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
PROTEIN
Many protein foods, such as meats, contain
small quantities of carbohydrate. When
proteins are heated to about 310°F
(154°C), the amino acids in the protein
chains react with the carbohydrate
molecules and undergo a complex chemical
reaction. The result is that they turn brown
and develop richer flavors. This reaction is
called the Maillard reaction.

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
PROTEIN
Maillard Rxn
This reaction can promote nutritional
changes such as loss of nutritional quality
(attributed to the destruction of essential
amino acids) or reduction of protein
digestibility and amino acid availability
AROMA COMPOUNDS
❑2-methyl-3-furanthiol (MFT)
which is a potent meaty flavor.
❑(E,E)-2,4-Decadienal is an
aromatic substance found in butter,
cooked beef, fish, potato chips,
roasted peanut, buckwheat and
wheat bread crumb.
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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
PROTEIN
There are a few types of connective tissues in
meat. There's the obvious kind, like tendons,
which connect muscles to bones; and ligaments,
which connect bones to each other. Then there
are those sheets of white fibrous tissue, called
silverskin, that surround whole muscles. Finally,
individual muscle fibers are also encased in
connective tissue, although it's less visible.

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
PROTEIN
Connective tissues are special proteins
present in meats. Meats with a great
deal of connective tissue are tough, but
some connective tissues are dissolved
when cooked slowly with moisture.
Cooking tough meats properly, therefore,
makes them more tender.

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EFFECTS OF ACID ON FOOD:
PROTEIN
Acids, such as lemon juice,
vinegar, and tomato
products, have two effects
on proteins:
• They speed denaturation
(tenderize meat)
• They help dissolve some
connective tissues.

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TYPES OF BROWNING
REACTION
1. Non-oxidative/Non-enzymatic
Browning
a. Maillard browning
b. Caramelization
2. Enzymatic Browning/Oxidative
TYPES OF BROWNING
REACTION: ENZYMATIC BROWNING
Oxidative browning, also called enzymatic browning, involves
the actions of a group of enzymes generally referred to as
polyphenol oxidase (PPO) or phenoloxidase,
phenolase, monophenol oxidase, diphenol oxidase
(DPO), and tyrosinase.

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TYPES OF BROWNING
REACTION: ENZYMATIC BROWNING
PPO is normally compartmentalized in tissue such that
oxygen is unavailable. Injury or cutting of plant material,
especially apples, bananas, pears and lettuce, results in
decompartmentalization, making O2 available.

Phenol oxidase enzymes (PPOs) catalyze the oxidation of

phenolic constituents to quinones, which finally
polymerize to colored melanins.

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TYPES OF BROWNING
REACTION: ENZYMATIC BROWNING
❑Polyphenoloxidase is thought to play an important role in the resistance of plants to
microbial and viral infections and to adverse climatic conditions.
❑Polyphenoloxidase also occurs in animals and is thought to increase disease resistance
in insects and crustaceans.
❑Enzymatic browning may cause a decrease in the market value of food products
originating from plants and crustaceans. Processing such as cutting, peeling, and
bruising is enough to cause enzymatic browning. The rate of enzymatic browning is
governed by the active PPO content of the tissues, the phenolic content of the tissue,
and the pH, temperature, and oxygen availability within the tissue.
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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
FATS
▪ Fats are smooth, greasy substances that do not dissolve in water.
▪ Fats are present in meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk products, nuts, whole
grains, and, to a lesser extent, vegetables and fruits.
▪ Fats are also important as cooking mediums, as for frying.
▪ Fats can be either solid or liquid at room temperature. Liquid fats are
called oils.

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EFFECTS OF HEAT ON FOOD:
FATS
▪ When solid fats are heated, they melt, or change from solid to liquid. The melting point of
solid fats varies. When fats are heated, they begin to break down. When hot enough, they
deteriorate rapidly and begin to smoke. The temperature at which this happens is called
the smoke point, and it varies by type of fat.
▪ A stable fat—one with a high smoke point—is an important consideration in deep-fat
frying.
▪ Many flavor compounds dissolve in fat, so fats are important carriers of flavor. When fats
melt and are lost from food, some flavors, as well as some vitamins, are lost with them.

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 Many minerals and other compounds dissolve

WATER
Water exists in three states: solid
in water, so water can be a carrier of flavor
and of nutritional value. When water carries
dissolved compounds, such as salt or sugar, its
(ice), liquid, and gas (water vapor or freezing point is lowered and its boiling point
steam). At sea level, pure liquid is raised.
water becomes solid, or freezes, at
32°F (0°C) and turns to steam at
212°F (100°C). When water
molecules turn to steam and
energetically escape into the
atmosphere, water is said to be
boiling.
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EMULSION
When water and oil are added
together they form two distinct
layers because they are
immiscible with one another.

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EMULSION
An emulsion is a uniform mixture of two
substances that are normally unmixable.

In an emulsion of two liquids, one of the

liquids is said to be in suspension in the
other. This means that one of the liquids is
broken into tiny droplets and mixed evenly
throughout the other liquid. The liquid that is
broken into droplets is called the dispersed
phase, while the liquid it is mixed in is called
the continuous phase.
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 All emulsifiers has 2
components: hydrophobic
and hydrophilic

What prevents an emulsion from

separating? Emulsifiers are
added to stabilize emulsion/
keep them from separating.
TEMPORARY EMULSIONS
A simple oil-and-vinegar dressing is called a
temporary emulsion because the two liquids
always separate after being shaken or beaten
together. In a standard vinaigrette, the vinegar is
broken into tiny droplets. These droplets are mixed
evenly, or suspended, throughout the oil.
The harder the mixture is beaten or shaken, the longer it
takes for it to separate. This is because the vinegar is broken
into smaller droplets, so the droplets take longer to
recombine with each other and separate from the oil. When a
mixture of oil and vinegar is mixed in a blender, the resulting
mixture stays in emulsion considerably longer.

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PERMANENT EMULSION
Mayonnaise is also a mixture of oil and vinegar—
in this case, an oil-in-water emulsion—but the two
liquids do not separate. This is because the formula
also contains egg yolk, which is a strong emulsifier.
A substance in the egg yolk called lecithin forms a
layer around each of the tiny oil droplets and holds
them in suspension so that they do not recombine

The harder the mayonnaise is beaten to break up the

droplets, the more stable the emulsion becomes. All
emulsions, whether permanent or temporary, form more
easily at room temperature, because chilled liquid is harder to
break up into small droplets.
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 THANKS!
Any questions?
You can find me at

jejasmin@pup.edu.ph

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