Technological developments to support better health and food production

Question 1

What is fortification? Give 2 examples.

Answer 1

• The addition of nutrients to a food product to improve its nutritional value
• By law, white flour must be fortified with iron, calcium and vitamins B1 and B3 as they’re lost in processing
• Margarine must also legally be fortified with vitamins A and D as butter has them

Question 2

List 6 advantages of fortifying foods.

Answer 2

• Increases nutritional content
• It can be used to reduce common deficiencies
• Helps marketing and sales for producers
• Fortifying products can also have other convenient purposes (vitamin C is an antioxidant, so it also prevents spoilage)
• Can replace nutrients lost during processing
• Can produce a product similar to another (such as margarine being similar to butter)

Question 3

List 2 disadvantages of fortification.

Answer 3

• It may be used to mistakenly give the impression that a certain food is healthy
• Eating too much fortified food can lead to excessive intake of certain vitamins and minerals

Question 4

What is an additive?

Answer 4

• Substances that are added to food in small amounts to improve their colour, flavour, texture or to preserve it

Question 5

What are preservatives, and how do they work? Give some examples of them.

Answer 5

• Substances that extend the shelf life of a product
• They prevent bacteria from growing
• Natural preservatives include lemon juice and sugar

Question 6

What are 2 reasons why colourings are used?

Answer 6

• They make food look more attractive
• They can return colour to foods that lost their colour during processing

Question 7

What are flavourings used for? Give some examples.

Answer 7

• To make existing flavour stronger
• Natural: vanilla, herbs and spices
• Artificial: MSG
• Sweeteners are also flavourings
• They are 300 times sweeter than sugar, so are only needed in small amounts

Question 8

What is an emulsifier? Give an example.

Answer 8

• Mixes together ingredients that would normally separate, and prevents that from happening
• Lecithin in egg yolks and soya beans

Question 9

What is a stabiliser? Give an example.

Answer 9

• Prevents a mixture from separating
• Pectin is found in berries and other types of fruit

Question 10

What are thickeners? Give 2 examples.

Answer 10

• Modified starches that are used as thickeners in liquids
• Xanthan gum and egg whites

Question 11

What are antioxidants, and what do they do?

Answer 11

• Substances that stop food from going rancid (by stopping oil and fat from reacting with oxygen)
• Stop some foods from going brown

Question 12

What are probiotics and prebiotics?

Answer 12

• Probiotics: live bacteria that maintain a healthy digestive system and strengthen the immune system
• Prebiotics: non-digestible fibre compounds that probiotics feed on to grow, so they can improve the health of the digestive system
• They’re both used to make yoghurt