Introductory Foods

FOURTEENTH EDITION

CHAPTER

Food Composition

Introduction Foods, Fourteenth Edition

Barbara Scheule | Marion Bennion

Copyright 2015, 2010, 2000 by Pearson Education, Inc.

All Rights Reserved

Food Composition
Food contains chemical molecules
Chemical composition may be
determined in laboratory
Tables of food composition available
USDA National Nutrient Database
http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_m
ain.htm?modecode=12354500

Food Composition
Chemical substances found in the
largest amounts in food:
Water
found inside cells in plants and animals

Carbohydrates
Fats
Protein

Water
All foods contain at least some water
Free water
Held inside cells
Maintains properties of free water
May be removed by pressure

Bound water
Is part of molecule structure
Reduced mobility
Does not retain properties of free water

Water Activity
More bound water, then less water
activity
Water activity
Ratio of the vapor pressure of water in a
food at a specified temperature to the
vapor pressure of pure water at same
temperature

Water Activity
Foods more perishable if higher water
activity
Microorganisms need water!
To reduce water activity
Dry
Freeze
Add sugar or salt

Uses of Water in Food Prep

Universal solvent
Heat transfer
Freezing
Cleansing agent
Promotion of chemical changes
Ionization of salt
Baking powder

Water and pH
Hydrolysis reactions

Nature of Water
H 2O
Two hydrogen atoms
bonded with covalent
bonds to one oxygen
atom

Is dipolar
Negative on oxygen side
Positive on hydrogen
sides

Hydrogen bonds

H+

Oxygen

H+

Figure 9-3 Water molecules cluster together because the positive charge on the hydrogen side of the molecule
is attracted to the negative charge on the oxygen side of the molecule, forming a weak bond.

Figure 9-4

A hydrogen bond forms as water molecules are attracted to each other.

Water Hardness
Types of hard water
Temporary
Permanent

Hard water and food preparation

Rehydration and softening of dried beans
slowed
Alkalinity may affect color of vegetables
Promote cloudiness in tea

Water may be softened

Carbohydrates
Simple
sugars

Complex
starch and fiber

Carbohydrates
Made of

Carbon (C)
Hydrogen (H)
Oxygen (O)
One molecule of H2O for each atom of
carbon

Chemical Classification
Classified by number of basic sugar
units linked together

Monosaccharide One unit

Disaccharides Two units
Oligosaccharides 10 or fewer units
Polysaccharides Up to 1000 units

Figure 9-6 Chemical structures are shown for monosaccharides and disaccharides of importance in food
preparation.

Monosaccharides
Glucose
Fructose
Galactose

Disaccharides
Sucrose
Glucose + Fructose

Lactose
Glucose + Galactose

Maltose
Glucose + Glucose

Oligosaccharides
Raffinose and Stachyose
Not broken down by digestive tract
Found in dried beans

Polysaccharides
Starch
Amylose
Amylopectin

Dextrins
Produced when starch molecules are
partially broken down by enzymes, acid,
or heat.
Less thickening power than starch

Polysaccharides
Glycogen
Plant Fiber Components

Figure 9-7 Portions of starch molecules, of which there are two types: (a) amylose, a long-chain-like molecule,
also called the linear fraction, contributes gelling characteristics to cooking and cooled starch mixtures, and (b)
amylopectin, the branched fraction, contributes thickening properties to cooked starch mixtures. Each small unit
represents one molecule of glucose.

Plant Fiber Components

Called dietary fiber / roughage / bulk
Cellulose
Hemicellulose
Beta-glucans
Found in oats and barley
Associated with reduced risk of heart
disease

Plant Fiber Components

Called dietary fiber / roughage / bulk
Pectic substances
Pectin forms gels in jams, jellies, and
preserves

Vegetable gums

Browning of Foods
Carmelization
Heating of sugars above melting point

Maillard Reaction
Involves carbohydrate
Carbonyl group of sugar combines with
amino group of a protein with removal
of water. After additional reactions
brown pigments are formed
i.e. browning of bread during baking

Lipids or Fats
Insoluble in water
Feel greasy
Three major groups
Triglycerides
Phospholipids
Sterols

Triglycerides
Account for 90-95 percent of fatty
substances in food.
Composed of
3 fatty acids
linked atoms of carbon with organic acid
group

One molecule glycerol

3 carbon atoms and three hydroxyl
groups

Figure 9-8 Glycerol and three fatty acids are joined by an ester linkage to produce triglyceride as shown. Take
note how the circled (with a dotted line) H + HO result in the production of H 2O as shown next to the depiction of
triglyceride.

Fatty Acids
Most fatty acids in foods are combined
in triglycerides.
Fatty acids differ
Number of hydrogen atoms attached
Length of carbon chain

Carbon chains
Usually even numbered

Types of Fatty Acids

Saturated fats
No double bonds between carbon
atoms, so no more hydrogen can be
added

Unsaturated
Double bonds between some of the
carbon atoms that can be broken to add
hydrogen

Types of Fatty Acids

Monounsaturated
One double bond

Figure 9-9 The structure of three saturated fatty acids (butyric, stearic, and palmitic) are shown. Saturated
fatty acids have either a carbon (C) or a hydrogen (H) atom attached to each of the four possible carbon
bonds. Thus, these fatty acids are saturated with hydrogen, leaving no room for the bonding of additional
hydrogen.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Polyunsaturated fatty acids with double
bond between 3rd and 4th carbon from
the left on the structure.
Found in fatty fish
Protective for heart disease

Figure 9-10 Oleic and linoleic unsaturated fatty acids are shown in this figure. Oleic is a monounsaturated fatty
acid containing only one double bond between carbons (C). Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid with two
double bonds between carbons (C). If the double bonds were broken by adding hydrogen, these fatty acids would
become more saturated.

Linoleic Acid
An essential fatty acid
Cannot be made by the body must be
consumed in food

Cis Trans Configuration

Cis
Hydrogen atom on both sides of bond

Trans
Hydrogen atoms on opposite sides of
bond

Figure 9-11 The cis and trans configurations of triglycerides are depicted here. Cis hydrogen atoms are on the
same side of the double bond between the carbons (C). Trans hydrogen atoms are on the opposite sides of the
double bond between the carbons (C).

Phospholipids
Found in food in relatively small
amounts
Function as emulsifiers
One side of molecule attracts fat
One side attracts water
i.e. lecithin

Figure 9-12 The structure of a phospholipid is shown here. Phospholipids differ from triglycerides by the joining
of a phosphoric acid and nitrogen base to the glycerol instead of a third fatty acid as found in triglycerides.
Compare this figure with Figure 9-8 to see the similarities.

Sterols
Cholesterol

Widely known sterol

Found ONLY in animal foods
Is associated with coronary heart disease
Our bodies also make cholesterol

Plant sterols
Phytosterols
Interfere with absorption of cholesterol

Fat in Food Preparation

Tenderizing in baked foods
Contribute to leavening
Creaming of fat and sugar

Promote moistness
Major components of salad dressings

Fat in Food Preparation

May be heated to high temperatures
Frying of foods

Contribute flavor
Butter

Proteins
Essential nutrient
In food preparation several important
roles

Binding water
Forming gels
Thickening
Producing foams
Aiding browning

Protein
Contain

Carbon
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Potentially also sulfur, phosphorus, iron

Large molecules
Hundreds or thousands of amino acids
joined with peptide linkage

Protein Structure
Primary
Long chains

Secondary
Springlike coiling - Alpha helix

Tertiary
Folding of coils forming globular shape

Quaternary
Combining of globular proteins

Protein Quality
Amino acids used
as building blocks
for proteins
Nine amino acids
are essential for
adult human
nutrition
Complete proteins
include essential
amino acids

Isoleucine
Leucine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Tryptophan
Valine
Histidine

Food Sources

Meats, Fish, and Poultry

Eggs and Dairy
Nuts
Dry legumes
Cereal grains in lesser amounts

Properties and Reactions

Buffering
Denaturation and Coagulation
Enzymes

Figure 9-14 Denaturation of a protein involves unfolding of the molecule. The denatured molecules may bond
together again to form a coagulated mass.

Solutions and Dispersions

Gas dispersed in liquid
Air in whipped egg white

Liquid dispersed in liquid

Oil dispersed in vinegar

Solid dispersed in liquid

A protein such as casein dispersed in
milk

Figure 9-15

A dispersion system.

Solutions and Dispersions

Solutions
Colloidal solutions

Sol
Gel
Foams
Emulsions

Suspensions

Figure 9-16 A representation of gel formation. This is sometimes called sol-gel transformation and is typical of
colloidal dispersions.