Food science and nutrition

Definition and scope of food science

Food science is the application of basic science and food engineering to study the fundamental physical, chemical and biochemical properties of food and food processing.

Food science was first used to describe the activities involved in moving food from farm to table. This implied the transformation of raw materials to usable food stuffs, wheat to bread, animals to meat, milk to butter and cheese.

Food science is inevitably drawn into certain aspects of farming on the one hand and into problems of human and animal nutrition on the other. Food science may be applied to develop technological processes designed to produce sophisticated foods to increase the palatability of the consumers. The development of food science and technology that enables foods to be preserved by canning, dehydration and freezing so that they can be produced and processed in those parts of the world best suited to their culture, transported safely half round the world and be made available to distant markets at any season of the year.

Food chemistry is the science that studies the composition of the earth and it has been built up mainly from observation and experiment. The rapid growth of the food industry, into big business and the changes in the number of items on the grocer’s shelves, the many ready to eat products, the new control on food additives and the attempts to standardize some food articles, all serve to emphasize the growing importance of the chemistry of foods.

Dependent on the science of food is on biology, bacteriology and mycology as well as chemistry, it was necessary for all sciences to develop to the point where education (to make clearer) of the complex mixtures encountered in foods become accurate and meaningful. Fortunately research of significance to food chemistry is now appearing not only in journals devoted exclusively to food problems but also in those in the fields of biology, chemistry, engineering and even physics.  The nineteenth century saw the development of organic chemistry, analytical chemistry and physical chemistry – all essential to the growth of food chemistry and our understanding of it. The pace at which discoveries were made and at which advances occurred increased through out the century. The field of carbohydrate, began to fit together, proteins mere recognized and many other compounds of importance in food chemistry were studied.

Food Technology: is the used information generated by food science in selection. Processing preservation and utilization of food science affects the consumption of safe nutritions and whole some food. Since food science is a broad conception it contains many other specialization in it such as :

Food Engineering, food Microbiology, food chemistry

Food Engineering deals with the conversion of all raw agricultural ingredients such as wheat to a finished product such as flour or baked goods. It also covers the unit operation mechanism and chemical aspects.

Food Microbiology deals with ecology of food. The role of environment in food spoilage, the presence and nature of micro organisms responsible for food spoilage and the physical, chemical, biological changes brought about by them. Food microbiology also deals with the study of public health and sanitation.

Food chemistry helps in understanding the physical and chemical nature of food  and the changes takes place during processing and storage of food

Food processing deals with the general characteristics of food raw materials, harvesting, assembling and  receiving of raw materials, methods of food preservation, processing objectives including factors influencing  food acceptability and preferences, packaging and water, waste disposal and sanitation.

The kind of careers that a food scientist might follow include food development, quality control, sensory specialist, flour chemist, food safety research and education. It is because of food science amazing achievements have taken place in the food industry. It is a fact that the food industry is able on the most part to supply the cheap, healthy and safe food.

Functions of food:  The 4 main functions of food are-

1. Energy Yielding Food: This group of food contains or includes food rich in carbohydrates, fat and proteins.

1gm carbohydrate=4 calories

1gm of fat= 9 calories

1gm of Protein=4 calories

They are broadly divided as-

1. Cereals, Pulses, Roots, Tubers: Cereals provide addition to energy, large amount of protein, minerals and vitamins.  Pulses gives, minerals and vitamins B besides giving energy.  Roots 2. and tubers provide energy, minerals and vitamins.

2.  Pure carbohydrates like sugar, fats,oil:- Pure carbohydrates like sugar provides only energy(empty calories) and fats provides concentrated source of energy.

3. Body Building:- food rich in protiens are called body building foods.  They are classified into 2 groups-

a) Milk,egg,fish,meat- they are rich in proteins of high biological value.  These proteins have all essential amino acids in correct proportions for the synthesis of body tissues.

b)Pulses, oil seeds and nuts:- They are rich in proteins but may not contain all the essential amino acid required by the human body.

3.  Protection and Regulation:  Food rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins have regulatory functions in the body.  Ex-Maintaining the heart beat, water balance, temperature control.

Protection food- i) Food rich in vitamins, minerals and also in proteins have high biological value like fish, egg, milk.

ii) Food rich in certain minerals, vitamins only.  Example-Green leafy vegetables and some fruits.

4.  Maintainance of Health_Food contains certain phytochemicals and antioxidants which help in preventing degenerative diseases.  food plays and important role in preventing of Cancer, heart diseases and is controlling diabetes. Example-For functional fruit are whole grains, soybean, green leafy vegetables, coloured fruits and spices.