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Why we cook food - Coggle Diagram
Why we cook food
Improving texture and appearance
Starch granules swell and gelatinise causing food to thicken or soften
Example: cooked rice
Meat is tenderdised
Example: Stewed steak
Fats melt and give smooth ‘mouth-feel’
Example: melted chocolate
Plant cells soften – vegetables and fruits become tender
Example: boiled carrots
Raw doughs rise and become light in texture
Example: bread
Cooking makes some foods crisp on the outside
Example: fried potato chips
Making food safer to eat
High-risk foods must be thoroughly cooked to destroy food poisoning bacteria and natural poisons
Example: There is a risk of getting salmonella if you eat eggs raw
Developing flavor
Cooking causes chemical reactions in food that develop flavour.
Bay leaf leaves a piney flavor to food after being cooked for a long period of time
Improving shelf-life
Cooking destroys micro-organisms and preserves foods.
Example: canned foods have a longer shelf-life
Giving variety within a diet
Example: Potatoes can be cooked as crisps, fries, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, wedges
Foods can be cooked in several different ways for variety