Food Technology Glossary

A food with an equilibrium pH above 4.6 and water activity above 0.85, capable of supporting Clostridium botulinum growth.

A nutrient the body needs in large amounts for energy and growth — carbohydrate, protein, and fat are the three macronutrients.

A non-enzymatic browning reaction between a reducing sugar's carbonyl group and a free amino group of an amino acid or protein, producing melanoidin pigments and a wide range of flavour compounds.

A condition caused by not getting the right amount of nutrients — this can mean too little food (undernutrition) or too much of the wrong food.

A severe form of childhood malnutrition caused by a serious lack of both calories and protein over a long period, leading to extreme thinness.

A nutrient the body needs only in small amounts, but which is still essential for health — vitamins and minerals are micronutrients.

Heating or cooking food using microwave energy, which makes water molecules inside the food vibrate and generate heat quickly from within.

A group of small-seeded grains such as jowar, bajra, and ragi that are rich in fibre and minerals and need less water to grow than rice or wheat.

Grinding whole grains into flour or splitting them into smaller pieces, usually by removing or breaking down the outer husk and bran.

A simple, natural substance like iron, calcium, or iodine that the body needs in small amounts for bones, blood, and other functions.

Replacing the air in a pack with a controlled gas mixture, typically carbon dioxide, nitrogen and sometimes oxygen, then sealing without further adjustment.

The total amount of water in a food, expressed on a wet basis (mass of water per mass of wet sample) or dry basis (mass of water per mass of dry solids).