chapter 3 seneca

• Cooking food in different ways alters the texture, smell, flavour, appearance and nutritional value.
• To enhance flavours

  
  

  • Cooking involves chemical reactions. The chemical reactions that take place alter the flavour of the food.
  • When cooking different foods together, their flavours combine.
  • Roasting intensifies flavours. When we roast meats and vegetables, they brown and become crispier (because of added fat). This happens because the water within the foods evaporates.
• To preserve food for longer

  
  

  • Cooking food at high temperatures helps to kill any bacteria and mould present.
  • Pasteurising milk involves heating milk to a high temperature before cooling so that it stays fresher for longer.
• To make sure it's safe to consume

  
  

  • Lots of foods contain dangerous toxins (e.g. rhubarb) or bacteria (e.g. sprouts and poultry) that are destroyed during the cooking process.
  • For example, it's important to cook chicken properly (for long enough at a high enough temperature) to kill any Salmonella bacteria present.
• To enhance texture

  
  

  • Many foods are harder to swallow, chew or digest pre-cooking.
  • Cooking softens some foods (e.g. cauliflower becomes less rigid and couscous expands as it's starch molecules become softer).
  • Cooking makes meats more tender because the solid fats in the meats melt and the proteins become softer. But, overcooking meats can make them tough.
  • Some people may prefer the textures of foods cooked in certain ways (e.g. brownies can have a soft interior and crusty exterior).
• To vary a diet

  
  

  • Cooking allows you to enjoy foods in many different ways.
  • For example, you could enjoy chicken through eating:
  • Roast chicken.
  • Barbecued chicken skewers.
  • A chicken curry.
  • A chicken stew.
  • A grilled chicken breast.