Food Preparation and Nutrition key terms

A test that measures the degree of liking or disliking of a food using a scale.

A protein that supplies all the essential amino acids in sufficient proportions for the body's needs.

A condition in which the pressure of blood against artery walls remains too high, placing extra strain on the heart and blood vessels.

A food that provides favourable conditions for harmful microorganisms to grow and can cause food poisoning if handled incorrectly; many are moist and ready to eat without further cooking.

Replacing water lost from the body through drinks and water-containing foods so that the body has enough water to function properly.

Attracted to water; describes the water-facing region of an emulsifier molecule.

Repelled by water; describes the region of an emulsifier molecule that associates with oil.

The money a person or household receives, which influences how much they can afford to spend on food.

Allowing a flavouring ingredient to transfer its flavour and aroma into a liquid, such as herbs flavouring an oil.

A type of dietary fibre that helps make faeces bulky, soft and easier to pass.

A hormone produced by the pancreas that helps control blood glucose by enabling glucose to enter body cells.

Farming designed to produce a high yield of crops or livestock from a given area, using substantial inputs such as energy, feed, fertilisers or technology.

A mineral needed to make thyroid hormones, including thyroxine, which help regulate metabolic rate.

A mineral needed to make haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells.

A condition in which insufficient iron limits the production of healthy, oxygen-carrying red blood cells.

A Rastafarian approach to food that emphasises natural, clean eating, often based on plant foods and avoiding artificial additives.

Separating a whole bird into portions by cutting at its joints and removing the breasts.

Fine, evenly cut matchstick-shaped strips of food.

An unthickened sauce traditionally made from a roast’s cooking juices, often with added stock; it can also be a liquid carrying the concentrated flavour of another ingredient.

A unit of energy, abbreviated to kcal. Food labels commonly use kcal and kilojoules (kJ) to show energy content.

A unit used to express the energy supplied by food and the energy used by the body, often called a calorie in everyday language.

Working dough by repeatedly stretching and folding it to develop its gluten and make it elastic.

Food that meets Jewish dietary laws, including rules about permitted foods, meat preparation and separating meat from dairy.

An acid produced when selected bacteria ferment milk sugar; it gives yoghurt a sour taste and helps milk proteins coagulate.

A sugar found in milk and dairy products.

An inability to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products.

A waste-disposal site where rubbish is deposited and buried.