Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition key terms

A build-up of fat in the liver, often linked to being overweight. It is also known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

An amino acid that the body can make, so it does not have to be supplied by food.

Iron found in foods such as pulses, green vegetables and fortified cereals. Its absorption is helped by vitamin C and reduced by substances such as tannins and phytates.

Non-starch polysaccharides: plant carbohydrates, other than starch, that human digestive enzymes cannot break down.

An immune reaction to nuts that can be severe or life-threatening.

A substance obtained from food that the body needs for energy, growth, repair or healthy functioning.

The amount of nutrients, particularly vitamins and minerals, a food supplies in relation to its energy content.

An assessment of the energy and nutrients supplied by a food, recipe, meal or diet.

The nutrients and energy a person needs to support health, growth and activity; these vary with factors such as age and activity level.

A characteristic relating to the nutrients supplied by a food, such as its vitamin, fibre, sugar or salt content.

The nutrients a food provides, including their amounts and availability to the body.

A condition involving excessive accumulation of body fat, which increases the risk of several health problems.

Applying a thin, even coating of oil to a cooking surface to help prevent food sticking.

The sensory system responsible for smell; receptors in the nose detect airborne chemicals and send information to the brain.

Not see-through; cooked fish flesh becomes opaque rather than translucent.

A disease in which bones lose density and become more fragile and more likely to fracture.

A chemical reaction involving oxygen; in food preparation, exposure to oxygen can cause changes such as browning.

How pleasant a food is to eat, influenced by its flavour, aroma, texture and appearance.

A crisp pastry made by folding sugared puff pastry inwards from opposite ends, chilling it and cutting it into slices before baking.

Heating food, such as milk, under controlled conditions to destroy harmful bacteria, followed by cooling.

A microorganism that can cause disease, including food poisoning.

A bacterium that can cause disease, including food poisoning.

A substance found in fruit that helps jam and jelly form a gel and set.

Waves of muscular contraction that move food and waste along the digestive tract.

A measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is. On the usual pH scale, values below 7 are acidic, 7 is neutral and values above 7 are alkaline.

A factor expressing total daily energy expenditure relative to basal metabolic rate. A higher PAL represents a more active lifestyle.

A change in a material’s size, shape or physical state without forming a new substance, such as chopping vegetables or melting butter.

Forcing a soft mixture through the opening or nozzle of a piping bag to form controlled shapes or decoration.