FUNDAMENTALS OF FOOD SCIENCE

HTF219
Chapter
1

Introduction to Food Science

Fatimah Abd Ghani

fatimah.abdghani@gmail.com

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of
this chapter,
students should be
able to:

FOOD
What is the
definition?
Food is any substance which
nourishes the body and is fit to
eat. It may be solid or liquid.

Function of FOOD
1. Growth and repair( maintenance)
Growing (increase height)
Repair and renew tissues (hair and
nails)
To create new life (reproduction)
2. Producing energy
Every living things require energy that
are produced and stored in our body.
3. Regulating both physical and
mental activities.
Basic movements such as walking,
running, moving and also sleeping.
Used for mental health, as food alerts
the brain in learning.

Component of
FOOD
Made up of chemical substance;
nutrients.
Nutrients are molecules in food
which body uses in order to
function correctly and stay
healthy.
5 main nutrients vital to life:
1.Protein ex: meat items, poultry
2.Fat or Lipid ex: oil, butter
3.Carbohydrates ex: Rice, bread
4.Vitamin ex: vitamin C, A
5.Minerals ex: iron, calcium

Non-nutrients:
WATER & FIBER
For the blood circulation
For easy digestion
Transporting the important
nutrients inside the body

Source of FOOD
1.Animals
2.Plants

Choices of FOOD
2

3
4

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Factors that
effect your choice
of food:

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Factors that effect your choice of

food:
Social and cultural effects
Availability of food
Economics
Knowledge of nutrition & health
concern
5. Religious beliefs
6. Technology development
7. Emotional & psychological effects
8. Advertising
9. Desire to improve health
10.Environmental concern
1.
2.
3.
4.

Choices of FOOD
1. Social and cultural effects
-

Development of food patterns begin with the

family.
Family meals play an important roles in
human communication.
Cultural forces also shape our food behaviors.
Food patterns differ from one culture to
another.
The different food pattern that may be found
among cultural groups are:
i) their staple food
ii) number of meal taken a day
iii) the way the food is served
iv) utensils used in the service

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Choices of FOOD
2. Availability of food
3 Factors to look at:
i)Geography of an area
-location
ii) Variations of climate
-depends on weather
iii) Ethnic influence
-different ethnic group have different food
preferences
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Choices of FOOD
3. Economics
- Purchasing power (ability to buy a product)

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Choices of FOOD
4. Knowledge of nutrition & health
concern
- To promote general good health & the
prevention of the major chronic diseases.
- The Food Guide Pyramid
- Ways to improve eating habits:
i) Drink more water
ii) Relax
iii) Cut down on drugs
iv) Cut down on nicotine & caffeine
v) Regular physical activities (exercise)
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Food Guide
Pyramid

Non-nutrients

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Choices of FOOD
5.
Religious beliefs
- Food has significance in relation to
many religious beliefs.
- Food that permitted with these
prohibition (Islam):
i. Swine and all their by-product
ii. Intoxicant of all types
iii. Birds of prey (eagle)
iv. Animal killed in a manner, that
prevents blood from fully drain from
their body
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Choices of FOOD
-

The Jewish faith also has food

laws
- The kosher dietary law (kashrut)
are observed to varying
degrees by its followers.
- Some specification:
i. prohibition against eating blood
and food that are not slaughter.
ii. dairy product & meat product
cannot be eaten together.
iii. no pork & shellfish (scallops,
oysters, clams), crustaceans
(crab, shrimp, or lobster)
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Choices of FOOD
6. Technology development
i. Convenience foods = pre-cooked food
ii. Development in transportation system
- Makes it easier and quicker to move
foods all over the world
i. Fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry &
seafood are also developed for:
- Decrease bacteria
- Longer shelf life (food sustainability)

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Choices of FOOD
7. Emotional & Psychological effects
At times, foods reflect social status:
i. Security
Familiar foods and infant foods.
i. Hospitality
served to guests or given as gift.
i. Status
Certain food dictate social class they
belong to.
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Choices of FOOD
8. Advertising make people aware
on existence of food products
especially new items in the market.
Sources:
i. Television
ii. Radio
iii. Newspaper
iv. Magazines
v. Celebrities

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Choices of FOOD
Food Advertisement :

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Choices of FOOD
9. Desire to improve health

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Choices of FOOD
10. Environmental concern
- To preserve the earth
- Usage of synthetic fertilizer, chemical
preservatives for food are rejected
- Will choose organically grown food
which are more expensive
- Food of tomorrow or future use.
- 2 major issues concern are:
i) biotechnology
ii) genetic engineering
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Choices of FOOD

Biotechnology

Collection of scientific techniques,

including
genetic engineering that are used to
create, improve and modify
plants, animals and microorganisms.
Example: Molecular Food (foods that
are not yet exist and altered from
seeds or the ingredients).

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Choices of FOOD

Biotechnology

Advantage

Disadvantage

Combating human
diseases
Fighting hunger
Producing more
nutritious
foods
Reducing the use of
pesticides

Environmental
problem
Antibiotic resistant
genes in food
Effect the beneficial
insect (butterfly &
bees)
Opposition to
genetically change

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Choices of FOOD

Genetic engineering

Process that allows plant breeders to

modify the genetics make up of plant
species, creating improved varieties
faster & more easily than can be
done using traditional plant-breeding
technique.
Example: Genetically Modified Food
(foods that have been produced and
inject genes for sustainability of the
food).

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