HOME ECONOMIC NOTES- Test 1.

CHAPTER?: Kitchen Safety and Hygiene.

Personal Hygiene:

-Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing food. It is to prevent contamination from harmful bacteria that you might come into contact with.

-Wash your hands after you have been to the toilet. Disease carrying bacteria can come into contact with your hands when using the toilet.

-Wash your hands after blowing your nose as harmful bacteria can pass from the tissue to your hands.

-Cover cuts on your hands with waterproof bandages.

-Do not prepare food if you are unwell.

-Do not sneeze or cough over food as bacteria can travel through the air into the food.

-Keep your fingernails short and clean.

-Do not wear rings as bacteria can be transferred from the rings to the food.

-Tie long hair back so that loose strands of hair do not fall into the food.

-Wear a clean apron. Clothes can pickup bacteria from airborne dust and dirt and transfer the bacteria to the food.

Kitchen hygiene:

-Keep work surfaces clean.

-Use clean tea towels when drying dishes. Do not use them to wipe up spills on the floor.

-Wash and sanitize tea towels regularly.

-Mop floor after cooking.

-Remove food scraps from plates and utensils before washing them.

-Keep the lid on the rubbish bin and throw kitchen scraps away daily.

Hygiene and food handling:

-Wash food before cooking.

-Wash chopping boards for cooked and raw food.

-Use separate boards for cooked and raw food.

-When storing cooked food, make sure it’s covered.

CHAPTER 2: Rice and alternatives

Rice is the staple food of many Singaporeans. It belongs to the base foundation of the Healthy diet pyramid and we should eat between 6-7 servings of food from this group. It is higher as Rice and Alternatives are rich in carbohydrates and car it is our body’s best sources of energy. Wheat and its by-products make up rice and alternatives too. [Refer to table in text book 1]

There are 2 types of rice and maybe polished (white rice) or unpolished (brown rice). Unpolished rice is unprocessed wholegrain rice while polish rice is processed. Most of the vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber in each rice grain contained Bram and germ, unpolished rice is much richer in nutrients than unpolished rice. Unpolished rice is healthier than polished rice.

Rice can be classified as long-grain or short-grain. Long-grain rice has a light and fluffy texture and the grains do not stick together. Short grain rice has rounder grains and when cooked, it has a softer texture and is stickier than long grain rice.

Wheat is a type of grass that is grown as a food crop. Second highest produced crop by volume and is milled into flour which is then used to make bread, biscuits, pasta and noodles. It’s processed to different extents to produce food that are either plain, wholegrain of wholemeal

Plain white flour- when wheat processed to the extent that only the endosperm is left.

Whole grain goods- contain all the components of wheat grain.

Wholemeal foods- made from whole grains that have been milled into flour of a finer texture.

Importance of rice and alternatives: main nutrient- carbohydrates

Other beneficial constituents are vitamins and dietary fiber. [Refer to table on page 23, textbook 1]

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CHAPTER 3: Rice and alternatives

Vegetables: Bulb- onion, leek, garlic, spring onion

Tuber- potato, sweet potato and yarn

Fruit- tomato, pumpkin, cucumber and capsicum

Seed- legumes and pulses such as broad beans and green peas.

Flower- cauliflower and broccoli

Root- carrot, turnip and beetroot

Leaf, lettuce, spinach and cabbage

Fruits: Tropical- grows warm climates. Example: durian, papayas.

Stone- Seed is large and hard in centre around soft juicy flesh. Example: Peaches, plums, cherries and apricots.

Citrus- Rich in Vitamin C and tastes slightly sour and is divided into segments of juice filled- sacs with protective layer of skin Example: Orange

Prom- Firm flesh and a core that contains small seeds. Examples are apples.

Berries- Clusters of small, fleshy and juicy fruit which have one or more seeds. Examples: grapes.

Vitamins are organic compounds and needed small amounts in our diet. FAT-SOLUBLE vitamins which dissolve fates and Water soluble vitamins, which dissolve water. [Refer to table in pg 33]

Vitamin A improves our ability to see in dim light, needed for healthy skin and teeth, essential for normal bone growth and strengthens body resistance.

Vitamin b enables proper functioning of heart and nervous system, helps in conversion of nutrients into energy for the body, aid the formation of red blood cells and promotes normal growth and developments,

Vitamin c is highly effective antioxidant and is substances that help to reduce the harmful effect of free radicals in the body and thus improve immunity to disease, promotes cell growth, repair and healing and builds strong bones and teeth.

Minerals in our diet can come either from plant or animal sources and originates from soil. They are absorbed by plants and animals get their minerals by feeding on it.

Potassium facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses, regulates the balance of fluids in our body, important for normal muscle contractions and regulates heartbeat or heart rhythm.

Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth, required for blood clotting, enables proper contraction of muscles and aids the transmission of nerve impulses.

Iron helps in the formation of red blood cells, increases our resistance to disease and prevents fatigue.

Magnesium is important for the formation of bones and teeth, enables the proper functioning of nerve and muscles and helps in the production of energy for the body.

Water is important for replenishing body fluids lost in processes such as perspiration, regulating body temperature, enabling the smooth functioning of our muscles and the transporting of nutrients for our body needs and preventing constipation and making waste removal easier.

CHAPTER 4: Meat and alternatives

Categories:

-Meat and animal products

Red meat and white mean are the 3 types of meat. White meat includes poultry and that is farm birds specially raised for consumption. Red meat includes beef and it includes offal such as livers and kidneys. Dairy products, eggs and processed meat are animal products.

-fish and shellfish

Oily fish contains a good amount of health fat known as omega-3 fatty acids.

White fish has little fat and it’s mainly found in the liver. Flesh of fish tends to be whiter and drier compared to oily fish.

Molluscs are shellfish with soft flesh usually covered by shells and shells split opened when cooked.

Crustaceans are seafood with shells and flesh turns pinkish orange when cooked.

-soya beans and its by-products

Importance of including meat and alternatives in our alternatives in our diet:

Protein is the main nutrient and it is important for the growth and repair of the body cells and tissues, speeding up chemical reactions in our body, maintaining proper balance of fluids in our body, strengthening our immune system, transporting and storing nutrients.

[See table page 48]

Importance of Eating a Variety of Meat and Alternatives:

Meat: Red meat and white meat are good sources of protein, fat, B-group vitamins and minerals.

Animal Products: Eggs are nutrition-dense in B-group vitamins, Vitamin E, calcium, zinc, iron and essential fatty acids. However their yolks are high in fat and cholesterol. Milk and other dairy products are our body’s best sources of calcium which is healthy for our bones.

Fish and shellfish: Fish are a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Fish with soft edible bones are an excellent source of calcium. Fish are also rich in B-group vitamins and Vitamin B-group vitamins and Vitamin A and D. Some shellfish are very good sources of magnesium and zinc.

Soya beans and its-by products: They are packed with nutrients such as high-quality protein, B-group vitamins, Vitamin E, calcium, iron and other materials.

CHAPTER 5: Fats, Oil, Salt and Sugar

Functions of fat:

-Facilitating our body’s absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

-Serving as an important source of energy

-providing a layer of insulation under the skin which helps to keep us warm

-cushioning and protecting body organs and bones

Saturated fat is found in animal sources while unsaturated fat is found from plant sources. Unsaturated fat is preferred over saturated fat as it is less prone to raising our cholesterol level and increase of risk of heart disease and cancer. It contributes to good health. Vegetable oil such as corn oil, canola oil and sunflower oil are rich in unsaturated fat. The supply fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 that cannot be produced by our body. They have beneficial properties such as reducing hear diseases and high blood pressure. Excessive consumption of fat and oil is the onset of obesity and obesity is a major health concern as it may lead to other diseases. The excess fats clog up blood vessels called arteries which can lead to strokes or heart attacks. To reduce the intake, use healthier types of vegetable oils that are high in unsaturated fat rather than saturated fat, eat less deep-fried foods, buttery, creamy biscuits and pastries and food containing coconut milk, remove skin and fat off before cooking, choose foods prepared using methods of cooking that require less oil and choose low-fat products.

We need salt in our diet to regulate the balance of fluids in our body, enable the transmission of nerve impulses around our body and aid the contraction of muscles. Effects of excessive consumption of salt will lead to high blood pressure which may turn into heart and kidney problems. We can reduce our intake of salt by avoiding foods that are high in salt, foods that are rich in sauces and gravies, packet snacks such as potato chips, Use salt sparingly and rely on spices and herbs instead to enhance the flavor of food, choose low-salt versions of foods, eat foods that are rich in potassium as it can reduce the effects of salt on the body.

Sugar facilitates the rising of dough by speeding up the growth of yeast, preserve jams, jellies and confectionery by discouraging the growth of micro-organisms and improve the texture of frozen desserts such as ice-cream by lowering their freezing points. Sugar is a generic term for simple forms of carbohydrates. When eating too much sweet foods, sugar causes acids to form on our teeth which can lead to tooth decay. It provides energy for our body, excess sugar that is not used by the body will be stored as fat. We can reduce our intake of sugar by using less sugar when preparing beverages such as coffee and tea, cut down on sugar-laden foods such as soft drinks, ice-cream, cakes, chocolates and sweets, avoid adding too much sweet sauces and syrups to foods, choose alternative products that come with labels such as ‘sugar free’, ‘no sugar added’ and ‘reduced sugar’, and substitute sugar with other alternatives to flavor foodm such as natural sweeteners, spices and herbs.

CHAPTER 5: Fresh and processed food

Fresh food is food that has been harvested or produced. It has not been cooked, canned, dried, frozen or preserved. Most fresh food in Singapore is imported from overseas.

Fresh food: Meat, poultry and seafood; eggs; fruits and vegetables.

Process food is food that has undergone processing and packed by food manufacturers. It has undergone treatment and several rounds of preparation before reaching consumers. Processed food gained wide popularity because there are rising number of working mothers, technological advances that enabled processed food to be as nutritious as fresh food, the rapidly increasing variety of processed food available and advertising campaigns that have changed people’s mindsets. We process food to increase the variety of food available, extend the shelf life of food, to make seasonal food available all year round, to increase the quality of safety of some food products and to decrease the amount of time spent preparing and cooking food. The 2 types of processed foods are ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook. There are a few methods of processing foods and they are:

 Drying which removing water from food enables it to be stored for longer periods without going bad. This is usually done by evaporation. Some dried food need to be soaked before cooking.

Freezing is a process when frozen food is stored at temperatures below freezing point of zero degrees. This inhibits bacterial activity and prevents the food from spoiling.

Like frozen food, canned and bottled food can be kept for a long period of time unlike frozen food which can be stored at room temperatures.

Fresh food has natural flavor and are nutritious while process food saves time and labor, toxin-free and longer shelf life. Fresh food is seasonal while processed foods costs more and contains food addictives and are usually less nutritious than fresh food. [See table page 71, book 2]

Choosing fresh food:

For meat, it must be firm and moist, does not smell unpleasant, has the right colour, and has even fine grains or muscle fibers as this type of meat is tenderer.

For seafood, the fish must no smell bad, it has flesh that feels firm, moist and springs back when gently pressed and clear glossy eyes. For buying prawns, avoid prawns with black spots or rings except when buying black tiger prawns. Black spots show that the meat is starting to break down. Ensure that shells are not yellow as it could mean that the prawns have been bleached. And buy prawns that smell of salt water.

For eggs, newly laid eggs are heavy and indicate that there is a small air inside the eggs that are still moist. Select eggs that have clean shells are free of cracks eggs have slightly rough shells as there are many small pores that allow gases to flow in and out of the eggs.

For fruits, the skin should be smooth, unwrinkled and not dull. The fruit should be firm to touch. Buy fruits that are in season and ensure that the fruit is free from bruises.

For vegetables, it should not be bruised, they should be firm, they should have bright colours and should not be withered.

Choosing processed food:

See expiry date, condition of packaging and labels.

Hope this will help. ~~ JIAYOUS. I'll update my blog on this week and week 10 next week. :D

NICOLE ANG, JIAYOUS! YOU CAN DO IT! <3