Food Preparation and Nutrition key terms

The sensory system that detects smells, including aromas released from food during chewing.

Not transparent; cooked fish flesh becomes opaque rather than remaining translucent.

Food production using natural substances and processes, avoiding artificial fertilisers, synthetic pesticides and genetically modified organisms.

Softening of adult bones, which can result from vitamin D deficiency.

A condition in which bones lose density and become fragile, increasing the risk of fractures.

Catching fish faster than their populations can replace themselves through reproduction.

A chemical reaction involving oxygen in this food-preparation context; it can cause browning and destroy vitamin C.

A preference test in which a tester compares two food samples and chooses the one they prefer.

How pleasant a food is to eat, considering its appearance, smell, flavour and texture.

A layered pastry shaped by bringing both sides of a sheet towards the centre, then slicing across it to produce paired curls resembling elephant ears.

A thick binding sauce used to hold other ingredients together.

A device with adjustable rollers that flatten pasta dough into sheets, which can then be cut or shaped.

A controlled heat treatment used to kill harmful bacteria in foods such as milk.

A microorganism that can cause disease, including food poisoning.

Removing the outer skin of a fruit or vegetable.

Practices that keep a food handler clean and reduce the transfer of harmful microorganisms and physical contaminants to food.

A measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is. Adding an acid such as vinegar lowers a food’s pH.

A mineral that helps build bones and teeth and is involved in releasing and using energy from food.

A measure of how active a person is, taking account of the amount and intensity of their physical activity. A higher PAL indicates greater activity.

A small bone remaining within a fish fillet after it has been removed from the main skeleton.

Forcing a soft mixture through a piping bag, often fitted with a nozzle, to form a controlled shape or pattern.

A natural plant compound that, when consumed in sufficient amounts in specially formulated foods, reduces cholesterol absorption and helps lower blood cholesterol.

The ability of a fat to be shaped or spread under light pressure without becoming fully liquid.

Cooking food gently in liquid below boiling point, particularly suitable for delicate ingredients.

Promotion where food is selected or bought, such as shelf displays, eye-level positioning and checkout promotions.

A readiness check in which a cake is pressed gently to see whether its surface springs back.

A carbohydrate made from many sugar units joined together. Starch is a polysaccharide.