VCE FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Unit 3 outcome 3: SAT

Planning for properties of foods

Foods have properties that enable the food products to be used in a variety of ways. How did you consider the functional properties of foods when you were considering the specific needs of the consumer in your SAT?

Sensory properties of food

‘Properties where the senses are used to note particular attributes’

The sensory properties of food are:

·  Appearance (e.g. colour)

·  Aroma or smell

·  Taste

·  Texture

Sensory property / Example
Appearance / Burnt, light, dark, pale, orange, red, yellow, shiny, see-through
Aroma or smell / Sweet, strong, bland, burnt, smoky, off
Taste / Savoury, sweet, bitter, hot, spicy, sour, garlic, bland, tangy, salty, rich, sharp, smoky, burnt
Texture or mouth feel / Soft, hard, smooth, crunchy, sticky, slimy, chewy, greasy, tough, hot, gritty

Chemical properties of food

The organic compounds in food, such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, perform different functions in the preparation of food products.

A chemical analysis of a food might also look at its levels of pH, starch, glucose and sucrose.

Chemical / Food source / Function in food production
Carbohydrates / Breads, cereals, rice, pasta, fruit, vegetables / ·  Crystallisation
·  Dextrinisation
·  Caramelisation
·  Gelatinisation
Proteins / Lean meat, poultry, fish, soya beans, lentils, dairy products, eggs / ·  Aeration
·  Coagulation
Lipids (fats and oils) / Butter, margarine, oils / ·  Tenderising
·  Shortening
·  Emulsifying
·  Creaming
·  Frying

Physical properties of food

The physical properties of food include:

Physical size / The depth, height and shape of a food product are important (e.g. the height of loaves of bread and sponge cakes or the shape of a doughnut
Texture or cell structure / A product’s firmness and density is measured using weights; the greater the weight, the firmer or denser the product. A product’s cell structure, uniformity, size and thickness are tested using images of the product (e.g. muffins). The greater the number of cells or air bubbles that are visible, the greater the size of the food product
Viscosity / Viscosity is the measure of a liquid’s ability to flow. The greater the flow, the less viscous a liquid or food product is. Peanut butter, which is thick, sticky and does not flow easily, is more viscous than soy sauce, which easily spreads or flows. Viscosity is an important measure of how well a food product spreads
Colour / The colour should make the food product look inviting and should be appropriate (e.g. a cake should not be black)

Functional properties of food

VCE FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Unit 3 outcome 3: SAT

Implementing properties of foods

Your research and analysis of the five to eight food items should have included all of the aspects represented in the diagram below.