Food Components

Since I’m into it, why not enjoy, learn and share this new experience in my stroked life. I have learned the following food components whereby mixing it together with heat, we savour the essence of it and its added dimension. The following is from Professional Cooking, 6^th Edition.

CARBOHYDRATES

1. Starches and sugars are carbohydrates. Both compounds are present in foods in many forms. They are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and nuts. Meats and fish also contain a small amount of carbohydrate.

2. For the cook, the two most important changes in carbohydrates caused by heat are caramelization and gelatinization.

• Caramelization is the browning of sugars. The browning of sautéed vegetables and the golden color of bread crust are forms of caramelization.

• Gelatinization occurs when starches absorb water and swell. This is a major principle in the thickening of sauces and in the production of breads and pastries. Acids inhibit gelatinization. A sauce thickened with flour or starch will be thinner if it contains acid.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE FIBER

1. Fiber is the name for a group of complex substances that give structure and firmness to plants. Fiber cannot be digested.

2. The softening of fruits and vegetables in cooking is, in part, the breaking down of fiber.

3. Sugar makes fiber firmer. Fruit cooked with sugar keeps its shape better than fruit cooked without sugar.

4. Baking soda (and other alkalis) makes fiber softer. Vegetables should not be cooked with baking soda because they become mushy and lose vitamins.

PROTEINS

1. 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.

2. Coagulation. 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. For the cook, the important fact about denaturing is that, 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 these bonds and become firm. As the temperature increases, the proteins shrink, become firmer, and lose more moisture. Exposure of proteins to excessive heat toughens them and makes them dry. Most proteins complete coagulation or are cooked at 160°F to 185°F (71°C to 85°C).

3. Many protein foods, such as meats, contain small quantities of carbohydrates. When proteins are heated to about 310°F (154°C), the amino acids in the protein chains react with 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. It is what happens when meat browns. Because of the high temperature required for this reaction, the Maillard reaction takes place only on the dry surface. Because of its water content, the interior of the meat cannot get this hot.

4. Connective tissues are special proteins that are 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.

5. Acids, such as lemon juice, vinegar, and tomato products, do two things to proteins:

• They speed coagulation.

• They help dissolve some connective tissues.

FATS

1. 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.

2. Fats can be either solid or liquid at room temperature. Liquid fats are called oils. When solid fats are heated, they melt, or change from solid to liquid. The melting point of solid fats varies.

3. 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.

4. 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.

MINERALS, VITAMINS, PIGMENTS, AND FLAVOR COMPONENTS

1. Minerals and vitamins are important to the nutritional quality of the food. Pigments and flavor components are important to a food’s appearance and taste and may determine whether the food is appetizing enough to eat. So it is important to preserve all these elements.

2. Some of these components are soluble in water, and others are soluble in fats. All of these components may be leached out, or dissolved away, from foods during cooking.

3. Vitamins and pigments may also be destroyed by heat, by long cooking, and by other elements present during cooking.

4. It is important, then, to select cooking methods that preserve, as much as possible, a food’s nutrients, taste, and appearance.

WATER

1. Nearly all foods contain water. Dried foods may contain as little as a fraction of 1 percent water, but fresh meats, fish, vegetables, and fruits consist mostly of water.

2. Water exists in three states, solid (ice), liquid, and gas (water vapor or steam). At sea level, pure liquid 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.

3. Water can also turn from liquid to gas at lower temperatures. When water turns to gas at any temperature, the process is called evaporation. Evaporation happens more slowly the lower the temperature is. Evaporation is responsible for the drying of foods. The drying of food surfaces as they are cooked enables them to be browned.

4. Many minerals and other compounds dissolve in water, so water can be a carrier of flavor and of nutritional value.

5. When water carries dissolved compounds, such as salt or sugar, its freezing point is lowered and its boiling point is raised.