Flashcards in Water Molecules Deck (9)
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1
Q
Why is water very important?
A
- It is an essential nutrient: required to live
- Effects the textural characteristics of water and makes food enjoyable. Viscosity, gel formation, snap, crispness are all affected by water. Palatability and digestibility depend on amount of water present
- The extent to which other molecules attract water and bind them is one of the major determinants of strucural and sensory attributes
- Product quality is determined by the water molecules beacuse is is important for microbal growth and determines the rate of reaction
2
Q
Water molecules in food and effect in microorganisms?
A
- Water determines whether particular microbes can survive/grow/multiply.
- Knowledge of this can help control those organisms causing spoilage or food poisoning
- Can be used in fermentation
3
Q
Waters effects on enzyme and non-enzymatic reactions?
A
- Water is important in the deterioration of food quality caused by a wide variety of enzymatic and non-enzymatic chemical reactions
4
Q
Water and it effects on stability of foods?
A
- Water molecules provide the enviro that allows many chemical reactions to occur by bringing together reactant molecules
- Can have desirable and non desirable effects on sensory and nutritional significance
- Generally food molecules are more stable at low water levels
- However, Some hydrophobic molecules react more readily at low water contents
5
Q
The structure of water?
A
- H2O
- Polar (the 4 pairs of e- repel each other causing the tetrahedral structural
- Hydrogen bonding between water and other molecules
6
Q
Types of water in food?
A
Although molecules are chemically identical there are a number of distinct categories of how water may occur in food. The are 4 categories
7
Q
3 Categories of water in food?
A
- Free water
- Constitutional water
- Vicinal or Monolayer layer water
8
Q
What is free water?
A
- Is mobile and can be readily removed during processing
9
Q
What is constitutional water?
A
- Are difficult to remove because they are part of the internal structure of other molecules like proteins
