Food preparation

Definition of food preparation Is the Processes followed to prepare foodstuff for eating, with maintaining the nutritional, sensory and health values. which generally requires the selection, purchasing the needed product ingredients according to standard specifications and the needed quantities, as well as arranging (washing, peeling, cutting) and combining ingredients according to the appropriate instructions to achieve a desired results. This includes cooking, but not limited to it.

Food preparation classified within the arts, so it is called “the art of creativity and discipline in cooking” or “the art of preparing and cooking foods”. to achieve this, two key factors should be available  the place equipped with the necessary tools  The Skills that enables us to get the desired results with minimal time and energy.

The nutritional value of food define what is the food made of, means the quantity range, and quality of energy (calories) Carbohydrate, Protein, Fat, vitamins, Minerals that are found in a food, and its' impact on the body. Sensory value of food estimated in two ways  Subjective food evaluation: Based on personal preferences as perceived by the five senses.

 Objective food evaluation: Based on the use of devices designed to evaluate some of the sensory Properties as color and texture. health values of food Based on food safety refers to “the conditions and practices that preserve the quality of food to prevent contamination and food borne illnesses, which mean an illness transmitted to humans by foods”.

People get sick from food that has been contaminated by one of three types of food hazards:  Biological hazards. Are living organisms or organic material, it is difficult to completely avoid, however, most of them are inactivated or killed by adequate cooking and/or their numbers are kept to a minimum by sufficient cooking.  Chemical hazards. Are chemical substances from agricultural and industrial contaminants ex., cleaners….  Physical hazards. Are any foreign material such as glass, metal, plastic ….that could potentially cause harm if ingested.

Food selection and evaluation

Food selection criteria  People choose foods and beverages based on several factors. how foods look and taste health cultural religious psychological social needs budgetary concerns

Sensory criteria When people choose a particular food they evaluate it, primarily on: How it looks, smells, tastes, feels and even sounds. These sensory criteria has the most strong influence on food selection

Scientifically testing food using the 5 basic senses: Sight Smell taste Touch Hearing

Sight The eyes receive the first impression of foods: The shapes, colors, consistency, serving size, and the presence of any outwards defects. Color can indicate:  Ripeness (ex., black bananas send visual signals that may alter a person`s choices).  The strength of dilution.  The degree to which the foods was heated.  Color can be deceiving if the colors of two identical fruits-flavored beverages are different, people often perceive them as tasting different (ex., judge milk`s fat content by its color).  How food is combined on a plate also contributes to or detracts from its appeal.

Odor Smell is almost as important as appearance when people evaluate a food item for quality and desirability.  Volatile molecules: Molecules capable of evaporating like a gas into the air.  Olfactory: Relating to the sense of smell

Taste Taste is usually the most influential factors in people`s selection of foods. Taste buds are located primarily on the tongue, they are not found on the flat, central surface of the tongue, but on the tongue`s underside, sides and tip. The tip of the tongue is more sensitive to sweet and salty tastes, while the sides are sensitive to salty and sour sensations, and the back to bitter taste perceptions.

Flavor Definition of flavor: flavor is a broader concept than either taste or aroma

Important factor influencing the ability of a person to taste is:  The degree to which a compound can dissolve.  Temperature of a food or beverage go below (20°C) or above (30°C), it becomes harder to distinguish their tastes accurately.  The color of the food, the time of day it is eaten, and the age, gender and degree of hunger of the taster.  Genetic variation among individuals in sensitivity to basic tastes.

Touch The sense of touch, whether it operates inside the mouth or through the fingers, conveys to us a food`s texture, consistency, astringency and temperature. Hearing The sounds associated with foods can play a role in evaluating their quality, ex., crunching, crackling can communicate a great deal about a food. Most of these sounds are affected by water content, and their characteristics thus give clues to a food’s freshness and /or doneness.

Figure: Sensory impressions of food by the five senses