The "Glossary" in Food

Genetically Modified Food:

Transgene is a technique that separates a certain gene from living organisms through molecular biology technology and then implants it into another organism to reform the genetic material of the organism so that it can meet people’s needs in terms of traits, nutritional quality, and consumer quality. Change to create a new artificial creature. For example, scientists believe that a certain gene in the Arctic fish has antifreeze effect, so it is extracted and then transplanted into tomatoes to make a new breed of cold-tolerant tomatoes. This is a kind of genetically modified organism. Foods containing genetically modified organisms are called genetically modified foods.

Advantages: Solve food shortages; reduce pesticide use; increase food types.

Disadvantages: Although there is no evidence that GM foods are unsafe, there are indeed uncertain factors and unknown long-term effects. For example, whether intake of GM foods in the metabolic process will pose a health threat to consumers; genetically modified organisms In nature, it breeds itself and hybridizes with its close relatives, which makes it possible for foreign genes to spread in an uncontrollable manner in nature, even causing irreparable genetic contamination.

Pollution-free food:

The ecological environment in the place of origin is clean, various types of food are produced according to specific technical operating procedures, and the content of harmful substances is controlled within the prescribed standards so as to ensure the health of consumers. Foods without pollution marks are authorized to use.

Standard: The use of artificially synthesized safe chemical pesticides, veterinary drugs, fishery drugs, fertilizers, feed additives, etc. is permitted in the production of pollution-free food during the production process.

Green food:

It is cultivated, cultured and organic fertilizers are applied under no pollution, and no high-toxicity, high-residue pesticides are used. It is processed under strict environmental conditions, production techniques, and hygienic standards. It is determined that safe, high-quality, nutritious foods that are specially marked are used. .

Standard: Grade A green foods are allowed to use limited quantities of chemical synthetic substances in the production process, and AA grade green foods do not use any harmful chemical synthetic substances in the production process.

organic food:

It is completely free of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, growth regulators, ripening agents, poultry feed additives, and foods that are purely natural, non-polluting, and safe and nutritious.

Standards: The entire production process uses agricultural resources and only uses the effective recycling of four production factors such as animals, plants, microorganisms, and the natural world (sunshine, air, water, soil, etc.), and does not use energy other than agriculture (fertilizers, pesticides, production Regulators, additives, etc.) Affect and change the growth pattern and the quality of the animals and plants.

unsaturated fatty acid:

Fatty acids that contain at least one carbon-carbon double bond in their molecular structure, because they contain unstable carbon-carbon double bonds, are prone to chemical reactions with most substances, so they are called "unsaturated" fatty acids and are essential fatty acids.

Source: vegetable oils and nuts such as corn oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and marine fish.

Advantages: Maintains relative fluidity of the cell membrane to ensure normal physiological functions of cells; Does not increase blood cholesterol and triglycerides; Prevents increased blood viscosity, improves blood microcirculation; Improves brain cell activity, enhances memory and thinking ability.

Hydrogenated oil:

Liquid unsaturated fats in vegetable fats are hydrogenated and unsaturated double bonds become saturated single bonds, forming solid or semi-solid fats.

Source: Hydrogenation makes the oil more resistant to high temperatures, non-perishable, and increases shelf life, adding to the crispy taste of food, so it is often used in commercial foods such as cakes, cookies, and restaurants.

Disadvantages: It will increase the body's low-density lipoprotein and cholesterol, reduce the activity of neuronal cells and brain cell membrane and its function.

trans fat:

The molecules of unsaturated fatty acids are divided into two structures because of the orientation of hydrogen atoms: one is a cis double bond, and the other is a trans double bond. Natural unsaturated fatty acids are almost all cis-bonds, so most animals can metabolize cis fat. Trans fatty acids are produced by artificial hydrogenation and are almost non-existent in nature.

Source: Hydrogenation of vegetable oils converts cis-unsaturated fatty acids to trans fatty acids.

Disadvantages: It is difficult for people to digest trans fat, so it will increase blood lipid levels, easily lead to cardiovascular disease, and even induce tumors, and it also has adverse effects on fetal and adolescent development.

Thickener:

Also known as food gel, it can be dissolved in water and fully hydrated under certain conditions to form a thick, creamy solution, thereby improving the physical properties of foods, increasing the viscosity of foods, and giving foods a sticky and smooth taste additive. Most of them are made from plants and seaweeds such as gum, agar, gelatin, etc.

Application: Can be widely used in the production of various beverages, canned goods, pastries, meat products, soy milk, yoghurt and other foods.

Advantages and Disadvantages: Appropriate use of the human body is safe and harmless.

Ripening agent:

A synthetic plant growth regulator that accelerates the ripening of fruits and vegetables and enables them to be marketed in advance or off-season.

Application: commonly used in watermelons, bananas, grapes, kiwi and other fruits.

Disadvantages: The fruit ripened with growth regulators, the color of the fruit surface can change, but the inherent quality of the fruit has not changed, can not reach the fruit should be rich in nutrients, but also bring harm to the body, children should be cautious Eating and using regular-season fruits that use hormones can cause children to become precocious.

Sweeteners:

Substitutes with sweet sucrose can be divided into Natural Sweeteners such as sugar alcohols or oligosaccharides and highly sweet Artificial Sweeteners with high sweetness.

Applications: Beverages, chewing gum, and a variety of sweet snacks.

Advantages and disadvantages: Sugar alcohols have the advantage of not raising blood sugar, causing dental caries and low calorie content. Foods containing sugar alcohols are harmless, but synthetic sweeteners such as aspartame, cyclamate, sodium saccharin and Acesulfame K has no nutritional value, and it may cause additional troubles in foods, such as stimulating appetite, promoting obesity, and easily causing damage to the liver.