The functional properties of carbohydrates

16 January 2020

www.foodafactoflife.org.uk © Food – a fact of life 2020

 The functional properties of
carbohydrates

Barbara Monks B.Ed., M.Ed.

What will be covered?
• Why is it important to know about the functions of ingredients?
• The functional properties of carbohydrates
• Teaching food science through practical activities, focusing on
carbohydrates
• How to build knowledge and incorporate more functions in practical
work
• Suggestions for further reading and sources of information roasted-butternut-
• Links to Food – a fact of life resources. squash-risotto
Carbohydrate – an essential in the diet
Carbohydrates are the best way to provide fuel for the body being easy to
purchase, readily available all year round It is important to think about types
and quality of carbohydrates:
• Sugars – mono and di saccharides supply energy but little else and have
detrimental effect on teeth.
• Starches – composed of amylose an amylopectin provide energy and many
micronutrients. Furthermore where less refined wholegrain starches are
selected there is enormous benefit to be had from the dietary fibre that
they contain
• If dietary choices are to be made for healthy active people then starchy
carbohydrate in all its forms is a good choice.
Carbohydrates supply energy
Energy balance can be maintained by:

• regulating energy intake through the diet;

• adjusting physical activity levels;

• a combination of both.

• Take a look at the excellent presentation

from www.foodafactoflife.org.uk
 Carbohydrates
Starches Sugars
• Polysaccharides • Monosaccharides
• Amylose and amylopectin • Disaccharides
• NSP Dietary fibres

• Flour – wheat / corn

Sucrose sugar ingredients:
• Potatoes
• granulated,
• Rice
• caster, icing,
• Pasta
• brown sugars
• Bread
• syrup & treacle
 Functions of carbohydrates

Starches Sugars
Dauphinoise Bulk ingredient
potatoes Energy Energy
Browning Browning
Dextrinisation Caramelisation
Thickening Preservation
Gelatinisation Fermentation
Adding nutrients Sensory properties
Texture, Colour. Flavour
Variety to diet Appearance

Dietary fibres – nutritional https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/recip

https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/recipes/ functionality es/cereals/banana-crumble-top-muffins/
 RECIPE
Scrummy scones
Baking bread
Food science
Grilling toast
Examples
Dextrinisation Oven baked
RECIPE
RECIPE croutons
Browning Shortbread
Tasty toast
Pastry browning

Surface
Starch browning
occurs – flavour
Polysaccharide becomes
chain breaks down slightly sweeter
to shorter chains,
Carbohydrate
known as dextrins Crispness
function due to dry heat (reduced by Characteristics
exposure to air) Recipes
11-14 L2C Scone based pizza
Scone based pizza
 11-14-l2c/fruity-
flapjacks/
Heat applied to dry
sugars on Crème brulee
Food science Sugar syrup as in crème
Examples
caramel sauce
Muffins
11-14-l2c/dutch-
Caramelisation Croquembouche
RECIPE
Banana crumble-top
Flapjack
apple-cake/ Browning muffins
Crumble topping
Non enzymic Parsnips roasted
Onions
Sugar is decomposed by high
Used to enhance
temperature and browns
colour contrast as
In syrup the colour changes
in puddings above
from clear to darker brown
Contributes to
Flavour become sweeter but
golden hue of
then bitter as breakdown leads
Carbohydrate to carbonisation (burnt)
baked goods Characteristics
function containing sugar
Develop flavour
and colour of veg

11-14-l2c/tropical-granola-bars/
 Frying a steak

Food science Sausage rolls

Examples
Glazed pastry
Maillard reaction Multi Year
Browning The Maillard reaction
Non enzymic A worksheet looking at
the Maillard reaction

Enhance colour
Carbohydrate as
reducing sugar reacts Meaty savoury
11-14-l2c/koftas/
with proteins to bring flavour
about browning
Carbohydrate
function Flavour Characteristics

11-14-l2c/cheese-
and-onion-triangles/

Food science
Gelatinisation
Thickening
Starches gelatinise when
heated in liquids
Uncooked starch is insoluble
11-14-l2c/macaroni-cheese/ in water – it is a suspension
Heating and agitation causes
amylose in particular to
Carbohydrate absorb water and thicken
function the liquid
Roux sauce
Milk based sauces
Roux
Bechamel
Examples
Soups
14 – 16 Cooking
Blended sauces: potatoes fact sheet
Custard made with powder A fact sheet looking
Parsley sauce at cooking potatoes
Liquids become thickened
Viscosity is increased and
flow reduced
Manipulation of the
thickness enables a sauce
to be used for pouring, 11 – 14 Potato
coating or binding function varieties fact sheet
Gelation occurs when a Characteristics A fact sheet about
gelatinised mix cools potato varieties
Smooth, lump free
texture
 RECIPE
Chelsea buns

Food science Bread rolls

Loaves Examples
Teacher resources (1)
Search resources only Fermentation Danish pastries RECIPE
MULTI-YR
Brilliant bread
Bread making - yeast
experiment

Sugar can be readily used Dough can be

by yeasts to produce the leavened by
gas carbon dioxide yeast to give
Fermentation is enabled open texture,
Sugars released by action risen structures.
of enzymes in flour during
proving feeds yeasts
Carbohydrate
function
Characteristics MULTI-YR
Finnish fruit plait
 Jams

Hard Meringues
Food science Examples
Marmalade

Preservation Lemon curd

Conserves
Coulis
Meringues information sheet
Bottled fruits and recipe
A fact sheet looking at
meringues
Sugar used in high Jam is 63-65% sugar
enough concentration
will reduce the water Sweet products
activity to below that usually with soft
which microbes can grow consistency
Boiling with sugar drives
Carbohydrate
off water making sugar Fruit pectin, acid and
function concentration effective sugar work together Characteristics
as a preservative to form a gel.
 Iced buns
Celebration cakes
Glazed fruit teacakes,
Food Function Variety to diet Hot cross buns
Mince pies dusted with Examples
Sensory icing sugar Investigation -
Victoria sandwich with
properties caster sugar topping
sugar in cake
Texture, Colour, Flavour, Nice biscuits
Appearance

Sugars add colour, texture Sweeter flavour

and flavour and varied
appearance Crunchy texture or
S13 Dutch apple cake Sugars are used in small coating from
amounts in many Asian caramelisation and /
Carbohydrate dishes to compliment or crystals
function flavours of spices
Sugar enables Colourful, decorative
appearance Characteristics
decoration

Traditions
 Pastry14 - 16 YR
Couscous Investigation -
flour in pastry
Variety to diet Flatbreads
Food Adding nutrients
Function Cereals – snacks
Examples RECIPE
Rice types
Pasta varieties Potato and
Potato types – mash, rosemary
Sensory properties
roast, baked, wedges bread rolls
Texture, Colour. Flavour
Appearance Flour types

Starchy foods carry

Fairly bland – can be
micronutrients such as B1
enhanced in many
thiamine, iron, niacin
Carbohydrate ways
Potatoes deliver vitamin C
function Relatively cheap Characteristics
Wholegrain starchy foods
Soften on cooking –
deliver dietary fibre
easy to digest
Egg pasta enriched protein
Sometimes pale in
colour
Resources from www.foodafactoflife.org.uk
• 14 - 16 Years Food science Functional and chemical properties of food
https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/14-16-years/food-science/f
unctional-and-chemical-properties-of-food/
Functional properties of all nutrients

• Science of carbohydrate explained

• PowerPoint or Word document

• Worksheets

• Support materials
Specific presentation
on function of
carbohydrates
Teaching food functions & extending skills
Top tips

1. Tag each KS3 recipe with main key food science function and other
key points
2. Notice visual clues indicating function of ingredients in cooked
products
3. Making a dish with a side dish
4. Making a dish and adding a sauce
5. Making a dish with skilled garnish – parmesan crisp, pastry
crescent, butter pat.
 Food preparation skills
Recipe star .........................
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Eatwell & nutrition link ..
Food science link

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.................. recipe name ...................
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Food Choice / provenance /
sustainability link Food Safety link
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Teaching food functions
Top tips

1. Tag each KS3 recipe with main key food science

function and other key points
2. Notice visual clues indicating function of ingredients in
cooked products
3. Making a dish with a side dish
4. Making a dish and adding a sauce
5. Making a dish with skilled garnish – parmesan crisp,
pastry crescent, butter pat.
Thank you for taking part
• Discussion of the functions of ingredients
• The functional properties of carbohydrates
• Teaching food science through practical activities, focusing on
carbohydrates
• Building knowledge and incorporate more functions in practical work
• Suggestions for using Food – a fact of life resources.
Other sources of information and support

• www.epicurious.com www.thecookeryteacher.com
• www.foodafactoflife.org.uk
• IFST – Love Food Love Science resources Every recipe has
• www.sciencelearn.org ‘Cooks Know How’

Books: Use the range of textbooks and revision guides

www.foodafactoflife.org.uk © Food – a fact of life 2020

The functional properties of carbohydrates

For further information, go to:

www.foodafactoflife.org.uk

www.foodafactoflife.org.uk © Food – a fact of life 2020