YURONG, BERNADETTE B.

BSND-1A

Assignment: Rice, Corn and Cereals

Answer the following questions 
1.During the preparation of cereal grain products (i.e., those which are heated), why do they
swell and to what extent? Include the pasta products in your explanation.
-Cereals in their natural form are nearly indigestible. Th e hard outer covering of the seeds of
these grasses prevents their immediate consumption and can even break a tooth. Th is barrier
is overcome by heating the grain in water, which softens the outer covering and makes the
starchy endosperm digestible. Cooking also gelatinizes the starch, which improves the flavor
and texture of cereals as the grains soften and expand. Gelatinization occurs when heated
starch molecules absorb water and expand—a phenomenon seen when grains expand to two
or three times their volume when cooked. The degree of expansion depends on the type of
grain, and is partially caused by the escape of amylose and amylopectin from the starch
granule. Th e desired results in prepared grains are most commonly achieved by moist-heat
methods: boiling, simmering, microwaving, and baking in the presence of liquid.
-Pasta is easy to prepare by boiling or simmering. It is dropped into lightly salted boiling water,
stirred to keep the strands or pieces from sticking together, and heated until it reaches the al
dente (ahl-den-tay) stage. Properly prepared pasta is not excessively sticky, and once it is done,
it is drained and ready to serve. During heating, the majority of pastas expand to two or three
times their original size. Flat noodles are an exception in that they increase in size only by half.
The pasta-to-cooking-water ratio should ensure that the pasta is heated in plenty of water: 4
quarts of water per pound of pasta is recommended. The water should remain at boiling
temperature through the entire cooking period, and both undercooking and overcooking
should be avoided. Undercooked pasta is identified by a white core of stiff, ungelatinized starch
in the center, whereas overcooked pasta is mushy and limp in consistency and very bland.
Water with an alkaline pH tends to cause stickiness. Oil may be added to the water to prevent
the pasta pieces from sticking together, both during boiling and when the product is allowed to
cool. Pasta may be rinsed with water after cooking to prevent sticking, but this may remove any
B vitamins added during enrichment that have not already been lost in the cooking water.
Stickiness is influenced by the amount of water on the pasta’s surface, the degree of force used
to press the pasta through the disc, and most importantly, by the age of the pasta. Older pasta
is not recommended because water is lost from the surface of pasta as it ages, causing a
simultaneous loss in lubrication and increased stickiness. For most regular pasta, cooking time is
approximately 10 minutes, but fresh pasta and Asian noodles can take as little as 3 minutes. If
cooked pasta needs to be held before serving, it is placed in a colander over a pot of hot,
steaming water, or it can be cooled and later briefly dropped in simmering water to be
reheated, then drained and served. Pasta should be slightly undercooked if it is to be stir-fried;
baked; or added to soup, stews, or casseroles.
2. Define whole grain. What additives are sometimes added to grain products?
- A whole grain, also called a wholegrain, is a grain of any cereal and pseudocereal that contains
the endosperm, germ, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm.
As part of a general healthy diet, consumption of whole grains is associated with lower risk of
several diseases. Grains are the world’s major food crops, and there are numerous varieties.
The most common grains are corn, rice, wheat, and barley, which together account for 95% of
the world’s production of grains. The remaining 5% consists of sorghum, millets, oats, and rye.
In the U.S. market, sales are highest for the whole grains of wheat, corn, rice, and oats.
Although breakfast cereals are a common form in which grains are consumed, they also find
their way to the table as flour in baked goods and pastas, alone as vegetables (corn, hominy), as
alcohol, and indirectly through the meat of animals that had consumed grains.
- So many grain products exist that it is not possible to categorize common food additives for
this group of foods. However, the label on any package of processed foods containing grains
will list the food additives, and many of these are described in Appendix F. Th e individual
chapters on breads, cakes, pies, and pastries also contain information about food additives. A
few food additives used in grain products are now addressed.
The stable fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) can be added to the dough before baking.
The nutrients not stable to heat (the B vitamins and vitamin C) can be applied by spraying them
on the cereal after it has been heated. One of the reasons that cereals differ in their
fortification levels is that certain cereals can handle the introduction of more nutrients than
others without the taste being affected.
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are often added to
cereals to act as a preservative. Cereal grains would quickly stale without antioxidants that
preserve product freshness. However, there is some concern about BHA and BHT, and so some
consumers feel that other, less controversial antioxidants should be used (see Chapter 28 for
further information).
3.What are the classifications of wheat? Discuss the many forms of wheat including wheat
berries, rolled wheat, cracked wheat, bulgur, farina, wheat germ, and wheat bran.
- Wheat is divided into classes based on growing season, color, species, and/ or texture. There
are 14 different species of wheat, and each of them has several different varieties. As a result,
there are over 30,000 varieties throughout the world, but only three species—common, club,
and durum—account for almost 90% of all the wheat grown in the world. Among the lesser-
known wheats are spelt, emmer, and einkorn, referred to as ancient wheats because they were
some of the earliest cultivated wheats.
Growing Season. The two major types of wheat defined by their growing season are
winter wheat (hard) and spring wheat (soft). Hard and soft wheats also differ in their protein
content, which makes wheat flour more suited than any other grain for a variety of different
baking purposes. Hard wheats, of which durum is the hardest and highest in protein, are more
suitable for bread and pasta production.
 The majority of wheat grown in the United States is soft, or common, wheat. Soft wheat
produces a flour that is lower in protein and is ideal for cakes, cookies, crackers, and pastries.
Color. Wheat may also be distinguished as being red or white, with various shades of
yellows and ambers in between. Once it is milled, however, all flours appear white and lose
many of their distinguishing color characteristics.
-Forms of Wheat. Flour is just one of the many possible forms of wheat. Other forms on the
market include wheat berries, cracked wheat, rolled wheat, bulgur, farina, wheat germ, and
wheat bran.
- Wheat Berries. The simplest form of wheat is wheat berries, or groats, which are whole wheat
kernels that have not been processed or milled. These take the longest time to cook compared
to other wheat forms.
-Rolled Wheat. Flattening wheat berries between rollers produces rolled wheat, a product
similar to rolled oats, but different from the extruded wheat flakes used in breakfast cereals.
-Cracked Wheat. This consists of wheat berries that are ground until they crack. It is available in
coarse, medium, and fi ne grinds. Cracking wheat reduces the cooking time from 1 hour to
about 15 minutes, resulting in a form of wheat that is more tender and less chewy than whole
wheat berries.
-Bulgur. Bulgur is wheat berries that have been ground even finer than cracked wheat. The
berries have been partially steamed, dried, and then cracked to produce a more pronounced
flavor. Bulgur is a common ingredient in tabouleh, a dish originally from Lebanon that is a salad
of bulgur, vegetables, and herbs.
-Farina. Farina (which may be familiar as the product known as Cream of Wheat TM) is made by
granulating the endosperm of the wheat into a fine consistency.
-Wheat Germ. The germ of wheat is a good source of vitamin E (unless it has been defatted),
some B vitamins, and fiber. Wheat germ contains polyunsaturated fat and, unless it has been
defatted, it will become rancid if not refrigerated.
-Wheat Bran. Wheat bran is a source of insoluble fiber—specifically, indigestible cellulose.