Vickie A. Vaclavik

Vegetables and Fruits

Vegetables are the edible portion of plants eaten with (or as) the main course. They are in salads and soups. Vegetables may be processed into beverages or vegetable starches, eaten fresh or lightly processed, dried, pickled, or frozen. They impart their own characteristic flavor, color, and texture to diets, and undergo changes during storage and cooking. Ranked next to the cereal crops wheat, rice, and corn, potatoes are the most prolific vegetable crop grown for human consumption.

Evaluation of Food Quality

Food quality is an important concept because the food people choose depends largely on quality. Consumer preference is important to the food manufacturer, who wants to gain as wide a share of the market for the product as possible. Quality is difficult to define precisely, though it refers to the degree of excellence of a food and includes all the characteristics of a food that are significant and that make the food acceptable.

Sugars, Sweeteners, and Confections

Sugars are simple carbohydrates classified as monosaccharides or disaccharides (see Chap. 3). The common granulated or table sugar is the disaccharide sucrose, made of glucose and fructose. This chapter on sugars, sweeteners, and confections examines the sources, roles, and properties of sugars, the various types of nutritive sweeteners, and sugar substitutes added to foods. As well, confections and factors influencing candy types are addressed. Sugar should be used sparingly in the diet, and depending on serum glucose and lipid goals, nutritive and nonnutritive sweetener intake should be individualized by consumers.

Eggs and Egg Products

The eggs of various birds are consumed throughout the world; however, the discussion that follows in this chapter is regarding hen eggs. Eggs are a natural biological structure with shells offering protection for developing chick embryos. They have numerous functions in food systems and must be protected against becoming or offering contamination. Eggs provide nutritive value and culinary variety to the diet, while being an economical source of food. Today, we see a reversal of dietary limitations, and healthy persons can enjoy eggs as long as they form part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Fat and Oil Products

Fat is a principal component of the diet. It is enjoyed in the diet due to such characteristics as its flavor/mouthfeel, palatability, texture, and aroma. Fats also carry the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Sources of fats and oils may be animal, vegetable, or marine that may be manufactured in some combination in industrial processing. Fats appear solid at room temperature, whereas oils are liquid at room temperature.

Food PreservationOpen image in new window

This chapter is in the newly named Aspects of Food Processing section of the text. The chapters covering food additives and food packaging components of the food processing section appear in Chaps. 17 and 18, respectively.

Eggs and Egg ProductsOpen image in new window

The eggs of various birds are consumed throughout the world; however, the discussion that follows in this chapter is regarding hen eggs. Eggs are a natural biological structure with shells offering protection for developing chick embryos. They have numerous functions in food systems and must be protected against becoming or offering contamination. Eggs provide nutritive value and culinary variety to the diet, while being an economical source of food. Today, we see a reversal of dietary limitations, and healthy persons can enjoy eggs as long as they form part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Food Emulsions and FoamsOpen image in new window

Many convenience foods, such as frozen desserts, meat products, margarine, and some natural foods, such as milk and butter, are emulsions. That is, they contain either water dispersed in oil or oil dispersed in water. These water and oil liquids do not normally mix, and so when present together, they exist as two separate layers. However, when an emulsion is formed, the liquids are mixed in such a way that a single layer is formed with droplets of one liquid dispersed within another. Food emulsions need to be stable; if they are not, the oil and water will separate out. Stability is usually achieved by adding a suitable emulsifier. In some cases, a stabilizing agent is also required.

Fat and Oil ProductsOpen image in new window

Fat is a principal component of the diet. It is enjoyed in the diet due to such characteristics as its flavor/mouthfeel, palatability, texture, and aroma. Fats also carry the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Sources of fats and oils may be animal, vegetable, or marine that may be manufactured in some combination in industrial processing. Fats appear solid at room temperature, whereas oils are liquid at room temperature.

Milk and Milk Products

Milk is the first food of young mammals produced by the mammary glands of female mammals. It is a mixture of fat and high-quality protein in water and contains some carbohydrate (lactose), vitamins, and minerals. Milk and milk products may be obtained from different species, such as goats and sheep, although the focus of this chapter is on cow’s milk and milk products.