Human Foods and Their Nutritive Value

by Harry Snyder

CHAPTER II

Changes in Composition of Foods During Cooking and Preparation

116. How do raw and cooked foods compare in general composition? 117. In what ways are foods acted upon during cooking? 118. What causes chemical changes to take place during cooking? 119. What are the principal compounds that are changed during the process of cooking? 120. How does cooking affect the cellulose of foods? 121. What change does starch undergo during cooking? 122. When foods containing starch are baked, what change occurs? 123. How are the sugars acted upon when foods are cooked? 124. What effect does dry heat have upon sugar? 125. What change occurs to the fats during cooking? 126. How does this affect nutritive value? 127. What changes do the proteids undergo during cooking? 128. Why does the action of heat affect various proteids in different ways? 129. Why are chemical changes, as hydration, often desirable in the cooking and preparation of foods? 130. What physical changes do vegetable and animal tissues undergo when cooked? 131. How do foods change in weight during cooking? 132. Why is a prolonged high temperature unnecessary to secure the best results in cooking? 133. To what extent is the energy of fuels utilized for producing mechanical and chemical changes in foods during cooking? 134. What effect does cooking have upon the bacterial flora of foods? 135. In what ways do bacteria exert a favorable influence in the preparation of foods? 136. How may certain classes of bacteria exert unfavorable changes in the preparation of foods? 137. What are the insoluble ferments? 138. What are the soluble ferments? 139. What part do they take in animal and plant nutrition? 140. Define aerobic ferments. 141. Define anaërobic ferments. 142. What general relationship exists between the chemical, physical, and bacteriological changes that take place in foods? 143. Why should foods also possess an esthetic value? 144. What kinds of colors should be used in the preparation of foods? 145. What processes should be used for removal of coloring materials from foods?