aT INTRODUCTION Heat put effect on the digestibility of various nutrients. Carbohydrates Suarch is the most affected carbohydrate by heat. Starch grains absorb water, swell up and celular walls get ruptured. The process is called sclatinization and starch is called gelatinized. Ifwateris not used for cooking, dry heat converts sarch into dextrin, This is responsible for the brown colour of food and sweet taste of baked Cereals. Proteins Proteins undergo coagulation on heating. Proteins coagulate at the temperature of 60°C ot above. Fats Fat is not much affected by heat. But overheat- ing and reheating brings about the hydrolysis of fat. This leads to the production of free fatty acids. Minerals Heating has little or negligible effect on minerals. But they are lost with water. Vitamins All vitamins are affected differendly pat ing, eg. vitamin C which is hear-unstable = is destroyed by cooking. Vitamin Dome ra especialy thiamine, rboRavin and sc are destroyed in the presence of soda bis abl and also lose in water. Heat has firrle or neglig effect on vitamins A and D- by cook-‘Starch molecules swell and rupture in '€Nn aqueous medium. This jx rbonydrates enzymatic action and improves digestibility. Meteaes a ¢ Dextrinization of starch takes place in dry heat and dextrins are Sugars are subject to epimerization and degradation. formed, e Proteins get denatured. : : Proteins $ Microbes are destroyed and enzymes inactivated. Toxic factors present in food are also destroyed. « Digestibility of proteins improves. ‘ Some loss of amino acids on cooking. « Hydrolytic, oxidative, polymeric and other degradation changes Upids physical and biological characteristics. —— Rancidity occurs by hydrolytic and oxidative changes. Vitamins and Minerals Lost due to leaching, oxidation and thermal destruction. Colours/Pigments « Bleaching of pigments due to heat and pH changes. Disadvantages of Cooking vitamins C, B complex (especial Thiamine) and A. 3. Denaturation of proteins takes place therefore, it reduces the quantity 0: amino acids as they are destroyed. 1. Water-soluble nutrients like vitamins B complex and C may be leached into unused water. 2. Oxidation and heat treatment causes the destruction and reduction of