PLKCKY School

Subjects
IGCSE Food & Nutrition

IBDP Food Science & Technology

Key Words & Definitions

Word Part of Definition
speech
Additive Noun An additive is a substance that is added to
food in small amounts to improve its
appearance or taste, or to keep it fresh for
longer. Eg… Additives called antioxidants help
to prevent fats from going rancid (off)
Aerate (air- Verb To aerate a substance is to is put air or gas
ayt) into it.
Eg…. The chef whisked the egg white to
aerate it.
Airbone Adjective Anything that moves freely in the air or is
carried by air currents is airborne
Antibiotic Noun An antibiotic is a chemical substance that can
stop or slow down the growth if micro-
organisms.
Antioxidant Adjective An antioxidant prevents oxygen from combing
with oils and fats and can be used to preserve
foods.
Bacteria Noun Bacteria make up a very large group of micro-
Bacterium organisms, including some that can cause food
(singular) poisoning and disease.
Bake Verb To bake food is to cook it in the oven in dry
heat.
Eg. Bake a cake
Balanced Adjective A balanced diet contains all the nutrients
necessary to maintain a healthy body. This
should include the correct vitamins and
minerals to keep your body working.
Best-before Noun The best-before date is the latest date, by
date which food should be used, for it to be in its
best condition.
Blind-tasting Noun Blind-tasting is tasting food without being
able to see it, so you are not influenced by its
appearance or other factors.
Braising Verb Braising is a cooking technique in which food is
Braise fried quickly then cooked slowly with a small
amount of liquid in a closed container. (this
can make poor quality cuts of meat more
tender)
Word Part of Definition
speech
Bulk Verb or To bulk food is to increase its volume, texture
Noun or body. Material that is added to the food
may be called bulk, as may the finished food
itself.
Bulking agent Noun A bulking agent is a substance such as water,
cellulose fibre or oats that can be added to
foods to improve volume, texture or body.
Canning Noun or In canning, the food is put into tins or cans,
verb the air is removed, the tins are sealed and
then they are heated to a high temperature to
kill any micro-organisms inside.
This is an effective way of preserving food.
Caramelisation Noun Caramelisation is the process of gently
heating food until the sugars in it turn brown.
Carbohydrate Noun Carbohydrates form a large group of
compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen and that provide us with energy. They
include starch, glucose and other sugars.
Chip Noun A chip is a long, thin slice of potato fried in oil
or fat and eaten hot.
Coagulation Noun Coagulation is the change in state from a
solution to a gel, in liquid foods that contain
protein.
Eg… coagulation of eggs is used in many
aspects of cooking.
Colloid Noun A colloid consists of a base liquid containing
tiny particles that mixed but do not combine.
When oil and water are mixed together they
form a colloid.
Consistency Noun Consistency is the thickness of a liquid, gel,
batter or even paint.
Contamination Noun Contamination of food refers to the transfer
of bacteria by bad hygiene or incorrect
storage.
Cook/Chill Adjective Cook/chill describes food that is cooked,
chilled but not frozen, and then stored ready
to be reheated and used. EG…… Pre packed
ready meals
Word Part of Definition
speech
Critical point Noun Critical points are the stages in a food
production process where contamination might
occur, and where this can be controlled.
Curing Noun Curing is the preservation of food by salting,
drying or smoking.
Defrost Verb To defrost is to remove frost or ice, or to
melt something that is frozen.
Degradation Noun Degradation is the breaking down or lowering
degrade of the quality of something.
Dehydration Noun Dehydration is the process of removing
moisture (water) from a food and is used as a
method of preserving it.
Difference Noun A difference test involves comparing two sets
test of food samples by looking at them, tasting
them and comparing their textures.
Display-until- Noun A display-until label gives the date by which
date food has to be removed from display in
supermarkets and shops.
Emulsify Verb When liquids that do not readily mix together,
such as oil and water, are combined they
emulsify.
Fair test Noun In a fair test all the conditions, apart from
the one being investigated are kept the same.
Fermentation Noun Fermentation is the breakdown of sugars, by
the action of yeast, into carbon dioxide, water
and in some cases, alcohol.
Fibre Noun Fibre is a substance, found in pulses,
wholemeal bread, fruit and vegetables, that
travels through the body as waste and helps
digestion.
Flavour Noun Flavour is a combination of the taste and smell
of food.
Food-handling Noun Food-handling refers to the selection,
preparing, cutting, processing and cooking of
foods.
Food-hygiene Noun Food-hygiene is the correct use of safe
practices in the handling, preparation and
cooking of food, to prevent food-poisoning.
Word Part of Definition
speech
Food-poisoning Noun Food-poisoning is an illness usually caused by
eating food contaminated with bacteria.
Food Safety Noun The Food Safety Act is an Act of Parliament
Act 1990 that makes it offence to sell food that is
likely to be harmful to the health or
contaminated.
www.hmso.gov.uk for further details.
Food- Noun A food technologist is a person who is involved
technologist in the design, analysis and production of food.
Food-grade Noun Food-grade plastic is a material that is used
plastic for containers or packaging as it does not
effect the in food in any way.
Freeze-dry Verb Freeze-dry food means evaporating the
moisture (as ice) from fresh or cooked foods
to preserve it and seal it.
Fry Verb To fry food is to cook it in hot fat or oil.
Chips, eggs, fish ect..
Functional Noun Functional foods have additives or nutrients
foods added to them to give them special health
advantages.
Gelatine Gelatine is a colourless, water-soluble protein
made from animal tissues such as bone and
skin. (a vegetarian alternative is available now
called Veg-gel)
Gelatinisation Noun Gelatinisation occurs when food is changed so
that it has jelly-like consistency or
appearance.
Gelling agents Noun Gelling agents are food additives used to
thicken and stabilize various foods, like
jellies, desserts and candies. The agents
provide the foods with texture through
formation of a gel. Some stabilizers and
thickening agents are gelling agents
Genetically adjective Genetically modified are food which have had
modified characteristics changed or altered at the
molecular level, often refereed to as GM.
GM crops are often bigger or grow fast than
the original versions.
Word Part of Definition
speech
Growth Noun A growth hormone is a chemical with in the
hormone blood which controls both growth and
development.
Additional growth hormones are giving to
animals with help them grow bigger and faster
before slaughter.
HCCAP - Noun HACCP is the system of identifying and
Hazard controlling hazards during the production of
analysis and food.
critical control
points
Healthy-eating Noun Are government suggested amounts of food
guidelines and nutrients you should eat each day, they
are often shown in a visual format for ease of
use.
Heat process Noun This is a method of kill food born micro-
organisms by heating food.
Heat Noun Subjecting food to short high temperature
treatment busts of heat, such as milk during
pasteurization.
High-fiber Noun Used as an aid to digestion. Containing soluble
drinks fibers and starches can be drunk by people
who do not take enough fiber in other forms.
Ingredient (s) Noun Ingredients are the components of a recipe.
EG.. Flour , Eggs, Sugar and fat
Irradiate Verb To expose fruit and meat to a variety of
beams such as gamma, x-ray and electron to
kill the bacteria.
Joint Noun A piece of meat that has been by the butcher
ready to cook.
Knead Verb To work a mixture by stretching the gluten
strands which gives the texture. Often used
as a term in bread making.
Layered Adjective A food product described as layered is made
up of thin slices of food, such as in lasagna.
Macronutrients Noun Are the compounds in food that provide
energy.
Microbe Noun A microbe is a minute organism with can be
either beneficial or harmful to humans.
Word Part of Definition
speech
Mill Verb To grind corn and other seeds into flour, a
grinding pepper pot
Mineral Noun Substances found in food which are important
for health and wellbeing.
Modified- Noun Packing designed to prolong the life span of
atmosphere food by replacing air in the packaging with
packaging other gases.
Modified Noun Modified enzymes are used to speed up
enzymes chemical reactions.
Modified Noun Starches which have been altered to give it
starches new properties.
Mould Noun A fungal growth which grows on food. Can be
furry such as the mould on bread
Mycoprotein Noun A fungus which can be used as a substitutes
for meat.
Nutraceutical Noun A functional food which has been developed to
have certain health properties.
Nutrient Noun Fats, proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins
that occur in food.
Nutrition Noun A process of taking in food and using it for
growth and maintaining health.
Nutritional Noun A process of identifying the nutrients in
analysis various foods.
Organic Adjective Food from plants and animals that are grown
without chemicals or drugs.
Oxidise Verb To take up oxygen in a chemical reaction.
Paired Compound A test used to compare two products for a
comparison noun single property.
test
Pasteurisation Noun Sterilisation of foods at temperatures that
destroy harmful microorganisms without
significant changes to the appearance or taste
of the foods.
Peel Noun/ To remove skin from a fruit or vegetable.
verb
Pickle Verb To preserve food in a vinegar or salt solution.
Preservative Noun Something added to food to prolong its self
life.
Press Noun A machine used to obtain juice.
Word Part of Definition
speech
Primary Noun The first stage, when raw materials are
processing converted into a more useable form.
Probiotic Adjective Beneficial bacteria which can be used to
support a healthy lifestyle.
Processed Adjective Foods cooked or altered to prolong their life.
Produce Noun Any food which is grown.
Protein Noun Found in foods such as eggs, fish and meat,
essential for growth and repair.
Pulse Noun A food type includes beans and peas.
Quorn Noun Trade name for a meat substitute.
Ready- Noun Food (meal) which is ready to eat.
prepared meal
Recipe Noun A list of ingredients, with instructions for
making it.
Refrigerate Verb Fridge, a machine used to keep food between
0-5*c
Roll out Verb To use a rolling pin to produce a thin sheet,
usually pastry or icing.
Sample Noun A small amount or part of a product use for
testing.
Sauce Verb Dressing or topping for foods.
Secondary Noun An additional processing that is applied to a
processing product that has already been processed.
Sell-by date Noun The date that food is offered for sale in
shops, food is not displayed after the sell-by
date.
Sensory Noun Are terms used to describe the taste, smell
descriptors and feel of a product. How your five sensors
react to the end food product.
Set Verb To change from liquid to a solid- as in to set
jelly
Shelf-life Noun The length of time a product is safe to sell or
eat.
Shortening Noun Is the fat used with flour to make pastry.
Butter, lard or vegetable fats can all be used
as shortening.
Sieve Noun To remove lumps through a gauze.
Simmer Verb To keep food cooking slowly, below its boiling
 point.
Word Part of Definition
speech
Solution Noun A mixture of several liquids, or a liquid and a
soluble acid.
Soya Noun Food substations made from soya beans
includes milk and flour.
Starch Noun
Stock Noun A liquid made from meat, fish, bones and
vegetables.
Tasting Noun Taking a small amount of a substance into the
mouth to test the quality or characteristics.
Textured Noun Is a substitute for meat made form soya bean
vegetable flour.
protein
(TVP)
Thermal Noun Using heat to modify the properties of food
processing such as destroying micro-organisms.
Tofu Noun Is food with a cheese like textured made
from soya bean milk.
Triangle test Noun A test of three samples of food to find the
odd one out, which is the sweetest ect……
Ultra-heat Noun Involves heating the food to 135*c and
treatment maintaining the temperature for a few
UHT seconds before rapidly cooling, to kill micro-
organisms.
Unit operation Noun A single unit in manufacturing.
Unit process Noun Any stage in manufacturing.
Use- by date Noun The date which food is at its best, after its
use by date it may still be safe to eat but is
no longer at its best.
Vegan Noun Someone who does not eat any animal product.
Vegetarian Noun Someone who does not eat meat, poultry, or
fish.
Vitamin Noun Natural substances that are needed in small
amounts by humans.
Whisk Verb To aerate food using a whisk or fork.

Mr. Joshua Keil

DT Department (Food Technology Sub-department)