Food Preparation and Nutrition key terms

A childhood condition in which bones become soft and may become misshapen, commonly associated with vitamin D deficiency.

The tough outer skin layer on some cuts of meat, particularly pork.

Cooking food in a hot oven with added fat, which helps develop a crisp outer surface.

A mixture of fat and flour cooked together, used as the starting point for a sauce thickened with flour.

Working fat into flour with the fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, as in shortcrust pastry making.

A dietary reference value used when evidence is insufficient to set an RNI or other requirement-based value: an intake judged adequate for almost everyone and below levels associated with undesirable effects.

Treating a cleaned surface or item of equipment to reduce microorganisms to a safe level.

Fat containing fatty acids with no carbon–carbon double bonds. Foods rich in saturated fat include butter, fatty meat and coconut oil.

Cooking food quickly in a small amount of fat in a hot pan.

A disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, associated with swollen gums and poor wound healing.

Food harvested or naturally at its best at a particular time of year in a particular place.

Variation in the availability of foods during the year, particularly when fruit and vegetables are naturally ready to harvest.

Adding ingredients such as salt, pepper, herbs or spices to enhance or adjust a food’s flavour.

The transformation of primary-processed ingredients into a new food product, such as flour into pasta or milk into yoghurt.

Dividing a fruit into its natural sections; citrus segments can also be cut free of their surrounding membranes.

Flour with baking powder already added, providing both the flour and a chemical raising agent in a recipe.

The systematic assessment of a food's characteristics using the senses, such as its appearance, aroma, flavour and texture.

A feature of food perceived through the senses, such as its appearance, aroma, flavour or texture.

Assessing food through the senses, including its appearance, taste, aroma and texture.

A characteristic of food detected by the senses, such as taste, aroma, texture, colour or appearance.

The change of a flowing mixture into a firmer structure that holds its shape.

Cooking food in a frying pan containing a shallow layer of heated oil or fat, turning the food to cook both sides.

Forming food into a planned size and shape to control portion size, cooking and presentation.

The length of time a food remains suitable for use when stored under the specified conditions.

The effect of fat coating flour particles and limiting gluten formation, producing a tender, crumbly texture.

Cooking food gently in liquid just below boiling point, with small bubbles rising occasionally.

Threading pieces of food onto a metal or wooden skewer to hold them together.