Product ID Flashcards
fruit
Fruits are the ovary of a plant that surrounds or contains the seeds of the plant.
receiving
accurate scale
Since many deliveries must be weighed, accurate scales are perhaps the most important piece of equipment in the purchasing area.
vegetable
Vegetables are the roots, tubers, stems, leaves, leaf stalks, seeds, seedpods and flower heads of plants that may be safely eaten.
Storage
Storage is an activity performed in conjunction with receiving. As soon as receivers inspect incoming merchandise they ensure that it is put in the proper storage facility’s
Intended use
The best buyer is the one who buys produce that is best suited to the particular use. Price needs to be balanced against such factors as tenderness, shape, appearance, size, trim loss, and total waste.
Quality
A combination of all elements that effect use—such as size, shape, degree of maturity, and flavor—makes the item desirable to a buyer. Permanent growth characteristics are important quality factors. Quality refers to damage that may occur pre-harvest. This
includes: bug holes, weather damage, or any damage that may occur in the field prior to
harvest.
Condition
Condition takes into account progressive changes as the product ages or is stored on its journey from the farm to your door. Condition refers to damage that may occur post-
harvest. This includes any damage or bruising that occurs during transit or storage;
condition factors include decay, moisture loss, degree of ripeness, and chill damage.
Botanically Mature
A plant that is capable of reproducing itself has reached botanical maturity. It has produced flowers and seeds or fruit that are mature. This is a condition that has to exist for all fruit to ripen, but would not spell good quality for vegetables in culinary use.
Immature
Underripe fruits are fruits that are full-sized but have not yet reached peak eating
Ripe
This is the final stage of development for fruit when it has reached full flavor. The fruit has
reached full seed development, acid levels have gone down, starches have turned to sugars, and the fruit has full flavor. Color, texture, and aroma changes also occur.
Bushel
a bushel is a volume measure equal to 1.25 cubic feet and has no weight equivalent.
Food specification
A specification is a written or verbal communication between a buyer (chef) and a seller (vendor), giving a complete and precise description of the product desired
Net weight
A specification is a written or verbal communication between a buyer (chef) and a seller (vendor), giving a complete and precise description of the product desired
Net weight
Actual, computed, or estimated weight of a good without its container and/or packaging. Gross weight less tare weight equals net weight
Standard of grade
Quality desired is expressed in a description or by using brand names or federal, state, or trade grades. Whether a grade, brand, or description is
used varies between product categories.
Standard of identity
For dairy products and most prepared foods, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Standards of Identity define the legal names of products (ice cream vs. ice milk vs. frozen dessert; whole peeled tomatoes vs. tomato purée; mayonnaise vs. salad dressing)
Standard recipe
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a standardized recipe as one that “has been tried, adapted, and retried several times for use by a given foodservice operation and has been found to produce the same good results and yield every time when the exact procedures are used with the same type of equipment and the same quantity and quality of ingredients
Legume
legume The seeds of certain pod plants, including beans and peas, which are eaten for their earthy flavors and high nutritional value.
Define the following terms: local, seasonal, quality, condition, grade.
Seasonality - Fruits and vegetables acquired very early or very late in the growing season need to be purchased with extra care. These will certainly be high in price, but not necessarily be of high quality. Generally, fruits and vegetables at the peak of the season are lower in price
and are likely to be of better quality and flavor.
- What is generally meant by the term fresh in the context of purchasing produce? How
could this be better described?
Fresh fruits and vegetables are living, breathing organisms. Their life processes go on after harvest until death and decay. Characteristic signs of good condition are bright, lively color
(appearance?) and crispness.
When fruit is harvested ripe, what happens to its shelf life?
Fruit should be harvested when it is ready to pick or mature. Harvesting at the time of optimum maturity will produce the best quality fruit. Harvesting when fruit is cool (early morning) and cooling the fruit as soon as possible promotes quality and shelf life.
Climacteric fruits are able to continue ripening after being picked, a process accelerated by ethylene gas. Non-climacteric fruits can ripen only on the plant and thus have a short shelf life if harvested when they are ripe.
What is the effect of ethylene gas on leafy green produce?
Ethylene is a plant hormone given off by ripening fruit or rotting fruits or vegetables.
Ethylene gas is not only the catalyst for ripening but also hastens the decay process.
However, when products giving off ethylene gas are improperly stored next to other leafy
green vegetables it promotes internal browning.
Which fruits require additional ripening after harvest?
avocados, bananas, cantaloupe, star fruit, kiwi, papaya, pears, plantains, plums, tomatoes
Which fruits require additional ripening after harvest?
apples, berries, cherries, citrus (except lime) grapes, pineapple, watermelon, apricot
When purchasing ingredients, how can you ensure that the yield percent will stay consistent?
If the weight per case is lighter than expected, you won’t get the yield per case needed. Use caution if the distributor offers significantly under priced lettuce. It could turn out to be too light to produce good yields.
What are the standards of identity of various food items primarily based on?
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Which governmental agency helps food buyers to identify food products and their
characteristics by their legal name?
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A bushel is equal to x1.25?
1.25
no weight equipment
A peck is equal to x bushel
1/4
When developing specifications, how can a buyer use USDA grading standards?
The USDA and state departments of agriculture have established some set standards of
quality. On both the state and federal level, “Standards of Grade” have been established and
inspectors verify the grades of various products. (See USDA Standards of Grade for lettuce.
A purchase specification provides the buyer and their purveyors with a common
denominator for what?
The product description sets a common denominator for making price comparisons.
How is a minimum weight per case or container a factor in fresh produce specifications?
Weight will vary from case to case. Therefore buyers should indicate minimum acceptable weight in the specs.
What points of information should be included in a purchase specification?
Name of the item
Quality standards
Packing data
Receipt conditions
What are the four reasons for using a purchase specification for a food item?
Miscommunication between the buyer & seller is minimized
The product description sets a common denominator for making price comparaisons
Standards help insure that ingredients are consistent
Potential food cost is based on certain ingredients in predetermined amounts prepared according to a standard method.
Who should have a copy of the purchase specification?
Management, chefs, buyers, & the operations vendors
List four areas to consider in a “make or buy” decision.
The decision as to whether a business should make or buy a product is based on both tangible and intangible factors, which may shift over time. Making products in-house may save time and money, but it also may be more inconvenient than buying from a vendor that specializes in the necessary item. In addition, making a product from scratch can be a way to provide additional work for valued employees when business is otherwise slow. 1.quality, 2. Quantity 3. Convenience, 4marketing
What does the term “fresh” connote?
Recently picked & good quality
What fruit is always ripened off the tree in commercial production?
green peppers, limes
Herb
Herbs are the leaves of aromatic plants used primarily to add flavor to food.
rancid
Spice
Spices are aromatics produced primarily from the bark and seeds or any other part of the plants.
toasting
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nut
With the exception of the peanut, which grows underground in the root system of a legume, nuts are the fruits of various trees. They are available in the shell, roasted, shelled, blanched, sliced, slivered, chopped, and as butters.
seed
seeds are structures by which plants create a new generation of their kind. The most important seeds in the kitchen fall into 3 groups : grains / cereals, legumes, & nuts.
Rancid
describing stale fat or fatty foods Which have developed a strong smell and acrid taste, due to oxidation of the fat. Rancidity is accelerated by the exposure to light, high temp & metallic contamination.
Fat content
an amt of fat that an ingredient contains in context of nuts it is in the cells of the nuts which keep the nuts away from turning rancid
