FSSAI Food Chemistry Overview

FSSAI Food Chemistry

• This document is a food chemistry study guide for food safety officers and technical officers.
• It covers various food components, including carbohydrates, protein, lipids, vitamins, minerals, pigments, flavours, enzymes, and antinutritional factors.
• Each component has a detailed explanation, covering topics like structure, classification, properties, functions, significance in food, and methods to control degradation/loss.

Carbohydrate

• Carbohydrates are primary products of photosynthesis.
• General formula: C x (H2O)y
• Provide 4kcal/g of energy
• Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Oligosaccharides, Polysaccharides are classes of Carbohydrates.
• Monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, galactose, etc.
• Disaccharides include sucrose, lactose, maltose, etc.

Protein

• Proteins are macromolecules composed of amino acids.
• They are hydrolyzed to form amino acids.
• Amino acids contain both a basic amino group and an acidic carboxyl group.
• The primary structure of a protein is the sequence of amino acids linked together.
• Secondary structure involves hydrogen bonding, forming alpha-helices and beta-sheets.
• Tertiary structure is the overall three-dimensional shape.

Lipids

• Lipids are a diverse group of compounds insoluble in water.
• They include simple lipids like triglycerides and waxes, compound lipids like phospholipids and glycolipids, and derived lipids.
• Triglycerides (triacylglycerols) are important energy storage molecules.
• Fats are solid at room temperature, and oils are liquid.
• Fatty acids are long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxylic acid group at one end.

Vitamins

• Vitamins are low molecular weight organic substances necessary in small amounts for normal growth, maintenance of health, and reproduction in higher animals.
• They are classified into fat-soluble (A, D, E, K) and water-soluble (B complex, C) groups.
• Vitamins have varying functions in the body.
• Deficiency of vitamins may cause various diseases.

Minerals

• Minerals are inorganic compounds essential for various physiological functions.
• Minerals are classified into macrominerals (e.g., calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium) and microminerals (e.g., iron, zinc, copper).
• Minerals play a crucial role in maintaining acid-base balance and osmotic pressure.

Pigments and Colours

• Pigments responsible for the color of foods, including chlorophylls (green), anthocyanins (red, purple, blue), flavonoids (yellow).
• Colour changes during food processing.

Flavours

• Flavours result from combinations of taste and odor.
• Important groups of flavoring compounds include carbonyl compounds, terpines, and sulphur compounds.

Enzymes

• Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in the body.
• They have specific substrates and work via lock-and-key and induced-fit mechanisms.
• Enzymes are important for various food processes like hydrolysis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Antinutritional Factors

• Antinutritional factors (ANFs) are compounds found in plants that can interfere with the digestion or absorption of nutrients.
• ANFs include phytates, oxalates, tannins, protease inhibitors, lectins, and cyanogenic glycosides.
• These vary in their effect and methods for removal from foods.

Water

• Water is essential for all life processes and a major constituent of most foods.
• Water can be free or bound within foods.
• Water influences solubility, reactions in food, and quality.

This quiz serves as a comprehensive study guide on food chemistry for food safety and technical officers. It covers essential food components including carbohydrates, proteins, and other vital nutrients, detailing their structures, classifications, and functions in food safety. Test your knowledge on these critical subjects to ensure food quality and safety.