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Iceberg lettuce got it's name from the fact that California growers started shipped it covered with huge heaps of crushed ice in the 1920s. It had previously been called Crisphead lettuce.



Iceberg lettuce is 90% water and has very little flavor, and almost no nutrients.

Romaine is the lettuce of choice for Caesar salads; its full textured leaves give it enough body to hold the Caesar dressing, while still containing a healthy crunch to the bite. Bare, the tall, cylindrical leaves have a mildly bitter taste, just enough to delicately tantalize the taste buds.



Romaine is usually available year round. When you shop for romaine, search for crisp leaves void of browning edges or spots. For longer shelf life in the refrigerator, wash the leaves before storing: break off the core and separate all the leaves; swirl the leaves in a container of cold water to remove any dirt; then drain and dry the leaves.



Lettuce is a fairly hardy, cool-weather vegetable that thrives when the average daily temperature is between 60 and 70°F. It should be planted in early spring or late summer. At high temperatures, growth is stunted, the leaves may be bitter and the seedstalk forms and elongates rapidly. Some types and varieties of lettuce withstand heat better than others.



There are five distinct types of lettuce: leaf (also called loose-leaf lettuce), Cos or romaine, crisphead, butterhead and stem (also called asparagus lettuce).



Leaf lettuce, the most widely adapted type, produces crisp leaves loosely arranged on the stalk. Nearly every garden has at least a short row of leaf lettuce, making it the most widely planted salad vegetable. Cos or romaine forms an upright, elongated head and is an excellent addition to salads and sandwiches. The butterhead varieties are generally small, loose-heading types that have tender, soft leaves with a delicate sweet flavor. Stem lettuce forms an enlarged seedstalk that is used mainly in stewed, creamed and Chinese dishes.



Crisphead varieties, the iceberg types common at supermarkets all over the country, are adapted to northern conditions and require the most care. In areas without long, cool seasons, they generally are grown from transplants, started early and moved to the garden as soon as the soil can be worked. They are extremely sensitive to heat and must mature before the first hot spell of summer to achieve high-quality heads. If an unseasonably early heat wave hits before they have matured, they almost certainly fail. In many locations, crisphead lettuce plants started in late summer to mature in the cooler weather of fall have a much better chance of success.



The nutritional value of lettuce varies with the variety. Lettuce in general provides small amounts of dietary fiber, some carbohydrates, a little protein and a trace of fat. Its most important nutrients are vitamin A and potassium. The vitamin A comes from beta carotene, whose yellow-orange is hidden by green chlorophyll pigments. Beta carotene, of course, is converted to vitamin A in the human body. The darker green, the more beta carotene.



According to the American Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, foods rich in vitamin A and C (antioxidants) offer protection against some forms of cancer. Along with other phytochemical, antioxidants reduce the risk of cancer of the respiratory system and intestinal tract.



Lettuce, except iceberg, is also a moderately good source of vitamin C, calcium, iron and copper. The spine and ribs provide dietary fiber, while vitamins and minerals are concentrated in the delicate leaf portion.

Provides not only meat and eggs but feathers as well. Chickens fall into several classifications. The broiler-fryer can weigh up to 3 1/2 pounds and is usually around 2 1/2 months old. These chickens, as the name implies, are best when broiled or fried. The more flavorful roasters have a higher fat content and therefore are perfect for roasting and rotisserie cooking. They usually range between 2 1/2 and 5 pounds and can be up to 8 months old. Stewing chickens (also called hens, boiling fowl and just plain fowl) usually range in age from 10 to 18 months and can weigh from 3 to 6 pounds. Their age makes them more flavorful but also less tender.

Chicken is an excellent source of protein, and a good to fair source of niacin and iron. White meat and chicken without skin have fewer calories.

Water is the most abundant nutrient in our body and plays an important transmission function in every body cell and tissue. Sixty percent of our body weight is water. The fact that you can live without food for a long period of time, even months, but live only for a few days without water is true. Under normal conditions, the body releases about one quart of water daily. Therefore, replacement to equal the losses is very important for survival.

Dehydration is the most common problem of water imbalance due to water losses and deprivation. The effects of dehydration on nutrition can adversely affect ones health. Dehydration is the major cause of ones diminished ability to perform during endurance activities. Body water is lost through the stomach, respiration, sweat, and the kidneys. It is recomended that 24oz of water a day should be taken. This amount can double or even triple with endurance type exercise.



A note about water: More and more evidence shows the benifit of being well hydrated.

Studies show that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated (likely applies to half the world's population), leading to possible health problems such as fatigue. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger, leading to over-eating. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.



Bottled Water: Some types of bottled water are not subject to the same regulations as tap water. These are regulated as food products, and their regulations are largely related to sanitary food handling and processing practices. Bottled water manufacturers will provide a detailed report on the quality of their product to consumers who call to request it.

Salt is one of the most ubiquitous food ingredients around. Those who think of salt only as something used to perk up flavor might wonder what could possibly give this ingredient the level of importance it has gained through the ages. In reality, there is much more to this crystalline cube than first meets the eye.



Besides enhancing taste, salt has several other functions in food products. It acts as an antimicrobial or microbiological control agent. It contributes to certain chemical reactions that create a wide variety of food characteristics.



Sometimes the terms "salt" and "sodium" are used interchangeably, but technically this is not correct. "Salt" is sodium chloride. By weight, it is 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride.

Most foods and tap water contain sodium and chloride. Sodium is an essential nutrient, a mineral that the body cannot manufacture itself.

Because of sodium's importance to your body, the excretory and nervous systems guard against under-consumption of salt, which is a threat to your body's nerves and muscles. Other ions such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium are also very important. Concentrations of these ions are held in narrow ranges by the kidney.



The association between eating salt and the risk of blood pressure increasing is difficult to quantify. Some people are sensitive to changes in salt intake whereas others can adjust so that blood pressure does not rise at all.



Americans typically consume 4,000-8,000 mg each day, well above their daily needs. A goal for moderation for all adults, (including pregnancy and lactation) is approximately 2,400 mg of sodium per day.

Corn Protein Hydrolyzed

Hydrolyzed corn protein is the produced by boiling the corn in hydrochloric acid and neutralizing it with sodium hydroxide. The corn protein is broken down to its building blocks, amino acids. The resulting liquid also contains free glutamic acid, which is also known as monosodium glutamate (MSG). See. Monosodium glutamate.

Marler, Bill. “What is Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, or HVP and What Products Might Contain Salmonella Tennessee?” Food Poison Journal. 06

March 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. .





A word about "Partially Hydrogenated" Oils:



It is now known that the process of hydrogenation creates "trans fatty acids" (TFAs), which are toxic entities that enter cell membranes, block utilization of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and impede cell functionality. TFAs also cause a rise in blood cholesterol. These substances are not present in natural oils.



Trans fat, which is also called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Trans fat is found in margarine and shortening and foods -- such as cookies, crackers and other commercially baked goods -- made with these ingredients. Trans fat raises LDL cholesterol and lowers high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol.



Hydrolyzed: A protein obtained from various foods (like soybeans, corn or wheat), then broken down into amino acids by a chemical process called acid hydrolysis. Hydrolyzed plant or vegetable protein is used as a flavor enhancer in numerous processed foods like soups, chilis, sauces, stews and some meat products like frankfurters. Hydrolyzation of protein inevitably creates some (processed) free glutamic acid (MSG).



Manufacturers are acutely aware that many consumers would prefer not to have MSG in their food. Some manufacturers have responded by using "clean labels," i.e., labels that contain only ingredient names they think consumers will not recognize as containing MSG -- names such as "hydrolyzed soy protein." Others advertise "No MSG," "No MSG Added," or "No Added MSG," even though their products contain MSG



ref: truthinlabeling.org



source: www.healthfinder.gov/news

Soy Protein Hydrolyzed

Hydrolyzed soy protein is a highly processed soy byproduct that is used as a flavor enhancer. The hydrolysis method is done by boiling the soy in acid and neutralizing it with caustic soda. The residue after the process is finished is soy protein and excitotoxic amino acids such as glutamate. See Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). Because of the amount of glutamate in the hydrolyzed soy protein, manufacturers use it exactly as MSG but are not required to put “MSG” under their labeling. Hydrolyzed soy protein is also used in cosmetics and personal care products such as hair conditioner, hair dyes, lotion, skin care products, and mascara. In addition, it can also be a component in paper and paper board. People with soy allergies must be careful with the labeling because it is the proteins in the soy that they are intolerant of. Their bodies do not recognize the soy protein as safe and will result in the production of histamine. Histamine is the main hormone released as an inflammatory response. The allergic reaction will trigger inflammation of soft tissue such as lungs and sinuses. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has considered soy protein as an indirect food additive and is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS).

COSMETICSINFO.ORG - Your Source for Safety Information about Cosmetics and Personal Care Products. Web. 17 May 2011

.

Marks, Diane. "Hydrolyzed Soy Protein And Allergies | LIVESTRONG.COM." LIVESTRONG.COM - Lose Weight & Get Fit with Diet, Nutrition &

Fitness Tools. 27 Dec. 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. .

Soy Info Online! Web. 17 May 2011. .

Yeast Extract Autolyzed

Also called Yeast Autolysate, autolyzed yeast extract is the result from the water-soluble components of the yeast cell breaking down proteins under acidic and cold environments. It contains free glutamic acid, the source of the flavor enhancing properties of the yeast extract. The product is used as a flavor enhancer and can be found as a liquid, paste, powder, or granular form. See Monosodium Glutamate.

Food Chemicals Codex. Washington, D.C.: National Academy, 2006. Print.

Disodium Guanylate

Disodium Guanylate, or E628, is a flavor enhancer similar to Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and Disodium Inosinate but more effective. It is about 50 to 100 times more potent than MSG. Disodium 5’-guanylate is made from yeast ribonucleic acid, similar to genetic material. The savory taste of food becomes more developed without the disodium guanylate providing its own flavor. . It is produced by microbial fermentation in vegetables and put in tapioca starch to make it a powder form. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration but like MSG, is associated with certain allergic reactions after consumption. See Monosodium Glutamate.

"DISODIUM GUANYLATE - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY." Food Science, Cultural Foods, Glossary, Training, Education Food Resource [http://food.oregonstate.edu/], Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. Web. 16 May 2011. .

"The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog." The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG). 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Disodium Inosinate

An expensive flavor enhancer usually used with the cheaper Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) alternative. Disodium 5’-inosinate, or E631, comes from the nucleotide Inosine monophosphate (IMP) commonly found in mushrooms and meats. Nucleotides are information-carrying molecules (seen in DNA) and help with the body’s metabolic processes. It is produced by microbial fermentation in vegetables and put in tapioca starch to make it a powder form. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration but like MSG, is associated with certain allergic reactions after consumption. See Monosodium Glutamate.

"Disodium Inosinate Side Effects." Free Article Catalogue. 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Yacoubou, Jeanne. "The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog." The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG). 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Basic Egg Facts



Air Cell

The empty space between the white and shell at the large end of the egg.



When an egg is first laid, it is warm. As it cools, the contents contract and the inner shell membrane separates from the outer shell membrane to form the air cell.



The candler uses the size of the air cell as one basis for determining grade. In Grade AA eggs, the air cell may not exceed 1/8-inch in depth and is about the size of a dime. The air cell of Grade A eggs may exceed 3/16-inch in depth. For Grade B eggs, there is no limit on air cell size.



As the egg ages, moisture and carbon dioxide leave through the pores of the shell, air enters to replace them and the air cell becomes larger.



Although the air cell usually forms in the large end of the egg, it occasionally moves freely toward the uppermost point of the egg as the egg is rotated. It is then called a free or floating air cell. If the main air cell ruptures, resulting in one or more small separate air bubbles floating beneath the main air cell, it is known as a bubbly air cell.



You can see the air cell in the flattened end of a peeled, hard-cooked egg.

Back to top



Albumen

Also known as egg white. Albumen accounts for most of an egg's liquid weight, about 67%. It contains more than half the egg's total protein, niacin, riboflavin, chlorine, magnesium, potassium, sodium and sulfur. The albumen consists of 4 alternating layers of thick and thin consistencies. From the yolk outward, they are designated as the inner thick or chalaziferous white, the inner thin white, the outer thick white and the outer thin white. Egg white tends to thin out as an egg ages because its protein changes in character. That's why fresh eggs sit up tall and firm in the pan while older ones tend to spread out.



Albumen is more opalescent than truly white. The cloudy appearance comes from carbon dioxide. As the egg ages, carbon dioxide escapes, so the albumen of older eggs is more transparent than that of fresher eggs.



When egg albumen is beaten vigorously, it foams and increases in volume 6 to 8 times. Egg foams are essential for making souffles, meringues, puffy omelets, and angel food and sponge cakes.



The yolk or yellow portion makes up about 33% of the liquid weight of the egg. It contains all of the fat in the egg and a little less than half of the protein.



With the exception of riboflavin and niacin, the yolk contains a higher proportion of the egg's vitamins than the white. All of the egg's vitamins A, D and E are in the yolk. Egg yolks are one of the few foods naturally containing vitamin D.



The yolk also contains more phosphorus, manganese, iron, iodine, copper, and calcium than the white, and it contains all of the zinc. The yolk of a Large egg contains about 59 calories.



Double-yolked eggs are often produced by young hens whose egg production cycles are not yet completely synchronized. They're often produced, too, by hens who are old enough to produce Extra Large eggs. Genetics is a factor, also. Occasionally a hen will produce double-yolked eggs throughout her egg-laying career. It is rare, but not unusual, for a young hen to produce an egg with no yolk at all.

A chemical compound that is used to preserve food by retaining the moisture in the food to make it juicy and more pleasing when consumed.

According to Larry Borchert, a professor of

muscle biology and meat science at the

University of Wisconsin at Madison, hams do

not naturally hold water. The two proteins that make up the muscles of a ham, actin and

myosin, bind together to form a complex

protein known as actomyosin. Actomyosin is

not water-soluble, but it is salt- soluble. Thus ham manufacturers

must inject sodium phosphate into

supermarket hams to

enable the muscles to retain water. The

advantage of this treatment can be that a ham does not end up completely

dehydrated after processing. The disadvantage, however, is that the ham can be so pumped up with water, or "highly extended," as Borchert phrased it, that it

takes on an unpalatably damp, spongy texture

and a watered-down flavor. This was the case with all of the "water product" hams and, to a lesser degree, the "hamwater

added"

Researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Center (HNRCA) have found that blueberries rank #1 in antioxidant activity when compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful by-products of metabolism called "free radicals" that can lead to cancer and other age related diseases. Anthocyanin -- the pigment that makes the blueberries blue -- is thought to be responsible for this major health benefit.

In another USDA Human Nutrition Center (HNRCA) lab, neuroscientists discovered that feeding blueberries to laboratory rats slowed age-related loss in their mental capacity, a finding that has important implications for humans. Again, the high antioxidant activity of blueberries probably played a role.

A one cup serving of blueberries contains 16% DV of fiber. Blueberries are a source of Vitamins A and C, potassium and folate.

Blueberries are very low in fat and sodium.

– A concentrate is a form of substance which has had the majority of its base component, or solvent, removed. Typically this will be the removal of water from a solution or suspension such as the removal of water from fruit juice. The benefit of producing a concentrate is that of a reduction in weight for transportation as the concentrate can be re-constituted at the time of usage

Water is the most abundant nutrient in our body and plays an important transmission function in every body cell and tissue. Sixty percent of our body weight is water. The fact that you can live without food for a long period of time, even months, but live only for a few days without water is true. Under normal conditions, the body releases about one quart of water daily. Therefore, replacement to equal the losses is very important for survival.

Dehydration is the most common problem of water imbalance due to water losses and deprivation. The effects of dehydration on nutrition can adversely affect ones health. Dehydration is the major cause of ones diminished ability to perform during endurance activities. Body water is lost through the stomach, respiration, sweat, and the kidneys. It is recomended that 24oz of water a day should be taken. This amount can double or even triple with endurance type exercise.



A note about water: More and more evidence shows the benifit of being well hydrated.

Studies show that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated (likely applies to half the world's population), leading to possible health problems such as fatigue. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger, leading to over-eating. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.



Bottled Water: Some types of bottled water are not subject to the same regulations as tap water. These are regulated as food products, and their regulations are largely related to sanitary food handling and processing practices. Bottled water manufacturers will provide a detailed report on the quality of their product to consumers who call to request it.

Wheat flour is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. Other than gluten flour, all types of wheat flour derive at least 80 percent of their calories from carbohydrates. Depending on the flour type, the percent of calories from protein ranges from 9 to 15 percent, except from gluten, which has a 45 percent protein content. Calories from fat are never more than 5 percent.



In addition, wheat flour provides from 3 g (cake flour) to 15 g (whole-wheat flour) of dietary fiber per 1-cup serving. Wheat flour contains B vitamins, calcium, folacin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium zinc and other trace elements, and minimal amounts of sodium.



Wheat is the most important cereal crop in the world and ubiquitous in our culture. Bread, pasta, bagels, crackers, cakes, muffins and other wheat containing products line our supermarket shelves and fill our grocery baskets. It is luck for us that this popular grain is available throughout the year.



Classes used in the United States are



Durum - Very hard, translucent, light colored grain used to make semolina flour for pasta.

Hard Red Spring - Hard, brownish, high protein wheat used for bread and hard baked goods.

Hard Red Winter - Hard, brownish, very high protein wheat used for bread, hard baked goods and as an adjunct in other flours to increase protein.

Soft Red Winter - Soft, brownish, medium protein wheat used for bread.

Hard White - Hard, light colored, opaque, chalky, medium protein wheat planted in dry, temperate areas. Used for bread and brewing

Soft White - Soft, light colored, very low protein wheat grown in temperate moist areas. Used for bread.

Hard wheats are harder to process and red wheats may need bleaching. Therefore, soft and white wheats usually command higher prices than hard and red wheats on the commodities market.



Wheat, in its natural unrefined state, features a host of important nutrients.



Therefore, to receive benefit from the wholesomeness of wheat it is important to choose wheat products made from whole wheat flour rather than those that are refined and stripped of their natural goodness.



The health benefits of wheat depend entirely on the form in which you eat it. These benefits will be few if you select wheat that has been processed into 60% extraction, bleached white flour. 60% extraction - the standard for most wheat products in the United States, including breads, noodles and pastas, baked goods like rolls or biscuits, and cookies - means that 40% of the original wheat grain was removed, and only 60% is left. Unfortunately, the 40% that gets removed includes the bran and the germ of the wheat grain - its most nutrient-rich parts. In the process of making 60% extraction flour, over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost.



Since 1941, laws in the United States have required "enrichment" of processed wheat flour with vitamins B1, B2, B3 and iron in response to the problems created by 60% extraction. Although not nearly as much of these B vitamins and iron are replaced as are removed from 60% extraction flour, "enriched" seems an odd word to describe this process. If you select 100% whole wheat products, however, the bran and the germ of the wheat will remain in your meals, and the health benefits will be impressive! Our food ranking qualified whole wheat (in its original non-enriched form) as a very good source of dietary fiber and manganese, and as a good source of magnesium.



Bran is made up of the outer layers of the wheat kernel. Bran is used in whole wheat flour. It is also used in breakfast cereals.



The germ is tiny - about 2 1/2% of the whole wheat kernel. The germ is the part that will sprout and grow into a new wheat plant if the kernel is planted. Wheat germ is sold in grocery stores and food markets. Whole wheat flour also contains wheat germ.

Salt is one of the most ubiquitous food ingredients around. Those who think of salt only as something used to perk up flavor might wonder what could possibly give this ingredient the level of importance it has gained through the ages. In reality, there is much more to this crystalline cube than first meets the eye.



Besides enhancing taste, salt has several other functions in food products. It acts as an antimicrobial or microbiological control agent. It contributes to certain chemical reactions that create a wide variety of food characteristics.



Sometimes the terms "salt" and "sodium" are used interchangeably, but technically this is not correct. "Salt" is sodium chloride. By weight, it is 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride.

Most foods and tap water contain sodium and chloride. Sodium is an essential nutrient, a mineral that the body cannot manufacture itself.

Because of sodium's importance to your body, the excretory and nervous systems guard against under-consumption of salt, which is a threat to your body's nerves and muscles. Other ions such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium are also very important. Concentrations of these ions are held in narrow ranges by the kidney.



The association between eating salt and the risk of blood pressure increasing is difficult to quantify. Some people are sensitive to changes in salt intake whereas others can adjust so that blood pressure does not rise at all.



Americans typically consume 4,000-8,000 mg each day, well above their daily needs. A goal for moderation for all adults, (including pregnancy and lactation) is approximately 2,400 mg of sodium per day.

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)



Also known as bicarbonate of soda, baking soda is used as a LEAVENER in baked goods. When combined with an acid ingredient such as buttermilk, yogurt or molasses, baking soda produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles, thereby causing a dough or batter to rise. Because it reacts immediately when moistened, it should always be mixed with the other dry ingredients before adding any liquid; the resulting batter should be placed in the oven immediately. At one time, baking soda was used in the cooking water of green vegetables to preserve their color. That practice was discontinued, however, when it was discovered that baking soda destroys the vitamin C content of vegetables.



Baking Soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a naturally occurring substance that is present in all living things--it helps living things maintain the pH balance necessary for life. Baking Soda is made from soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate. The soda ash is obtained in one of two ways: it can be manufactured by passing carbon dioxide and ammonia through a concentrated solution of sodium chloride (table salt). Whether the soda ash is mined or processed, it is dissolved into a solution through which carbon dioxide is bubbled, and sodium bicarbonate precipitates out, forming Baking Soda

Sodium aluminium sulfate, NaAl(SO4)2·12H2O or Na2SO4·Al2(SO4)3·24H2O, also known as soda alum or sodium alum, is a form of alum used in the acidity regulator of food (E521) as well as in the manufacture of baking powder. It is also a common mordant for the preparation of hematoxylin solutions for staining cell nuclei in histopathology.



The classical cubic alum structure is the dodecahydrate, which is known in mineralogy as alum-(Na).[2][3] Two other rare mineral forms are known: mendozite (undecahydrate)[4] and tamarugite (hexahydrate).

Agents that are used to lighten the texture and increase the volume of baked goods such as breads, cakes and cookies. Baking powder, baking soda and yeast are the most common leaveners used today. When mixed with a liquid they form carbon dioxide gas bubbles, which cause a batter or dough to rise during (and sometimes before) the baking process. Some foods, such as ANGEL FOOD CAKE and SPONGE CAKE, are leavened by the air beaten into egg whites. When heated, the egg whites cook and set, trapping the air inside and creating a light, airy cake.

The carotenoid (yellow) pigments in the flour are oxidized to produce white flour. Flour treated with these bleaching agents must be labeled as bleached. A main difference between unbleached and bleached flour is the color; one is off-white and the other is pure white



Wheat is the most important cereal crop in the world and ubiquitous in our culture. Bread, pasta, bagels, crackers, cakes, muffins and other wheat containing products line our supermarket shelves and fill our grocery baskets. It is luck for us that this popular grain is available throughout the year.



Classes used in the United States are



Durum - Very hard, translucent, light colored grain used to make semolina flour for pasta.

Hard Red Spring - Hard, brownish, high protein wheat used for bread and hard baked goods.

Hard Red Winter - Hard, brownish, very high protein wheat used for bread, hard baked goods and as an adjunct in other flours to increase protein.

Soft Red Winter - Soft, brownish, medium protein wheat used for bread.

Hard White - Hard, light colored, opaque, chalky, medium protein wheat planted in dry, temperate areas. Used for bread and brewing

Soft White - Soft, light colored, very low protein wheat grown in temperate moist areas. Used for bread.

Hard wheats are harder to process and red wheats may need bleaching. Therefore, soft and white wheats usually command higher prices than hard and red wheats on the commodities market.



Wheat, in its natural unrefined state, features a host of important nutrients.



Therefore, to receive benefit from the wholesomeness of wheat it is important to choose wheat products made from whole wheat flour rather than those that are refined and stripped of their natural goodness.



The health benefits of wheat depend entirely on the form in which you eat it. These benefits will be few if you select wheat that has been processed into 60% extraction, bleached white flour. 60% extraction - the standard for most wheat products in the United States, including breads, noodles and pastas, baked goods like rolls or biscuits, and cookies - means that 40% of the original wheat grain was removed, and only 60% is left. Unfortunately, the 40% that gets removed includes the bran and the germ of the wheat grain - its most nutrient-rich parts. In the process of making 60% extraction flour, over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost.



Since 1941, laws in the United States have required "enrichment" of processed wheat flour with vitamins B1, B2, B3 and iron in response to the problems created by 60% extraction. Although not nearly as much of these B vitamins and iron are replaced as are removed from 60% extraction flour, "enriched" seems an odd word to describe this process. If you select 100% whole wheat products, however, the bran and the germ of the wheat will remain in your meals, and the health benefits will be impressive! Our food ranking qualified whole wheat (in its original non-enriched form) as a very good source of dietary fiber and manganese, and as a good source of magnesium.



Bran is made up of the outer layers of the wheat kernel. Bran is used in whole wheat flour. It is also used in breakfast cereals.



The germ is tiny - about 2 1/2% of the whole wheat kernel. The germ is the part that will sprout and grow into a new wheat plant if the kernel is planted. Wheat germ is sold in grocery stores and food markets. Whole wheat flour also contains wheat germ.

Also called corn sugar and grape sugar, dextrose is a naturally occurring form of GLUCOSE.



GLUCOSE: The most common form of this sugar is dextroglucose, a naturally occurring form commonly referred to as DEXTROSE (also called corn sugar and grape sugar). This form of glucose has many sources including grape juice, certain vegetables and honey. It has about half the sweetening power of regular sugar. Because it doesn't crystallize easily, it's used to make commercial candies and frostings, as well as in baked goods, soft drinks and other processed foods. Corn syrup is a form of glucose made from cornstarch.

Disodium Guanylate

Disodium Guanylate, or E628, is a flavor enhancer similar to Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and Disodium Inosinate but more effective. It is about 50 to 100 times more potent than MSG. Disodium 5’-guanylate is made from yeast ribonucleic acid, similar to genetic material. The savory taste of food becomes more developed without the disodium guanylate providing its own flavor. . It is produced by microbial fermentation in vegetables and put in tapioca starch to make it a powder form. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration but like MSG, is associated with certain allergic reactions after consumption. See Monosodium Glutamate.

"DISODIUM GUANYLATE - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY." Food Science, Cultural Foods, Glossary, Training, Education Food Resource [http://food.oregonstate.edu/], Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. Web. 16 May 2011. .

"The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog." The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG). 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Disodium Guanylate

Disodium Guanylate, or E628, is a flavor enhancer similar to Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and Disodium Inosinate but more effective. It is about 50 to 100 times more potent than MSG. Disodium 5’-guanylate is made from yeast ribonucleic acid, similar to genetic material. The savory taste of food becomes more developed without the disodium guanylate providing its own flavor. . It is produced by microbial fermentation in vegetables and put in tapioca starch to make it a powder form. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration but like MSG, is associated with certain allergic reactions after consumption. See Monosodium Glutamate.

"DISODIUM GUANYLATE - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY." Food Science, Cultural Foods, Glossary, Training, Education Food Resource [http://food.oregonstate.edu/], Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. Web. 16 May 2011. .

"The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog." The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG). 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Disodium Inosinate

An expensive flavor enhancer usually used with the cheaper Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) alternative. Disodium 5’-inosinate, or E631, comes from the nucleotide Inosine monophosphate (IMP) commonly found in mushrooms and meats. Nucleotides are information-carrying molecules (seen in DNA) and help with the body’s metabolic processes. It is produced by microbial fermentation in vegetables and put in tapioca starch to make it a powder form. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration but like MSG, is associated with certain allergic reactions after consumption. See Monosodium Glutamate.

"Disodium Inosinate Side Effects." Free Article Catalogue. 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Yacoubou, Jeanne. "The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog." The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG). 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Disodium Inosinate

An expensive flavor enhancer usually used with the cheaper Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) alternative. Disodium 5’-inosinate, or E631, comes from the nucleotide Inosine monophosphate (IMP) commonly found in mushrooms and meats. Nucleotides are information-carrying molecules (seen in DNA) and help with the body’s metabolic processes. It is produced by microbial fermentation in vegetables and put in tapioca starch to make it a powder form. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration but like MSG, is associated with certain allergic reactions after consumption. See Monosodium Glutamate.

"Disodium Inosinate Side Effects." Free Article Catalogue. 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Yacoubou, Jeanne. "The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog." The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG). 21 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

The process begins with high quality, pigment rich, fresh paprika pods. They are washed, carefully dehydrated, and ground to a fine mesh size to improve extraction of the pigments. The ground paprika is extracted from the cellular mass and concentrated to a liquid oleoresin raw material which is later standardized with soybean oil or canola oil. Aquaresins are made water and oil dispersible by the addition of mono- and diglycerides and lecithin.



Extract

The distilled or evaporated oils of foods or plants (such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, buds, roots, leaves, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy foods, or eggs) that are dissolved in an alcohol base or allowed to dry to be used as a flavoring. Food extracts as they are often labeled, are used to add a concentrated flavor to many food dishes, especially baked goods and desserts, without adding additional volume. Available in solid (cubes, granules or powdered), liquid or jelled form, extracts may be labeled as pure, natural or artificial. Pure and natural extracts are governed by laws in many countries that require compliance with procedures that take the extract ingredients directly from the named flavor, such as extracting oils directly from the vanilla bean to make pure or natural vanilla extract. Artificial extracts are flavors that do not necessarily use any ingredients directly from a source named for the extract but instead used combinations of ingredients to arrive at a flavor representative of the named food extract, such as artificial lemon extract. Some of the most widely used extracts include vanilla, almond, anise, maple, peppermint, and numerous solid or jelled extracts such as beef and chicken bouillon or meat demi-glaces. As an example of how the pure and natural extract is made, vanilla extract is created by soaking vanilla beans in water and an alcohol-based solution where it ages for several months, during which time the vanilla flavor is extracted from the bean. Anise extract, a sweet licorice tasting flavoring, is produced by dissolving the oil of anise seeds into alcohol.



Grape extract is produced to assist with the wine making process. Compounds from the skin of grapes are extracted and added to the wine in order to impart tannin, color, and body into a wine. The characteristics of the wine can be changed dramatically by the amount of time the wine is in contact with the skins. If the grapes are in contact for too long, the resulting wine may be too potent, or what is sometimes called “over-extracted”.



Juices of fruits and vegetables are often extracted as juice extracts to be used similar to other food extracts, as a flavoring when preparing foods. A common utensil for the purpose of extracting lemon juice is available to assist with home recipes requiring a lemon flavoring.

The process begins with high quality, pigment rich, fresh paprika pods. They are washed, carefully dehydrated, and ground to a fine mesh size to improve extraction of the pigments. The ground paprika is extracted from the cellular mass and concentrated to a liquid oleoresin raw material which is later standardized with soybean oil or canola oil. Aquaresins are made water and oil dispersible by the addition of mono- and diglycerides and lecithin.



Extract

The distilled or evaporated oils of foods or plants (such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, buds, roots, leaves, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy foods, or eggs) that are dissolved in an alcohol base or allowed to dry to be used as a flavoring. Food extracts as they are often labeled, are used to add a concentrated flavor to many food dishes, especially baked goods and desserts, without adding additional volume. Available in solid (cubes, granules or powdered), liquid or jelled form, extracts may be labeled as pure, natural or artificial. Pure and natural extracts are governed by laws in many countries that require compliance with procedures that take the extract ingredients directly from the named flavor, such as extracting oils directly from the vanilla bean to make pure or natural vanilla extract. Artificial extracts are flavors that do not necessarily use any ingredients directly from a source named for the extract but instead used combinations of ingredients to arrive at a flavor representative of the named food extract, such as artificial lemon extract. Some of the most widely used extracts include vanilla, almond, anise, maple, peppermint, and numerous solid or jelled extracts such as beef and chicken bouillon or meat demi-glaces. As an example of how the pure and natural extract is made, vanilla extract is created by soaking vanilla beans in water and an alcohol-based solution where it ages for several months, during which time the vanilla flavor is extracted from the bean. Anise extract, a sweet licorice tasting flavoring, is produced by dissolving the oil of anise seeds into alcohol.



Grape extract is produced to assist with the wine making process. Compounds from the skin of grapes are extracted and added to the wine in order to impart tannin, color, and body into a wine. The characteristics of the wine can be changed dramatically by the amount of time the wine is in contact with the skins. If the grapes are in contact for too long, the resulting wine may be too potent, or what is sometimes called “over-extracted”.



Juices of fruits and vegetables are often extracted as juice extracts to be used similar to other food extracts, as a flavoring when preparing foods. A common utensil for the purpose of extracting lemon juice is available to assist with home recipes requiring a lemon flavoring.

Salt is one of the most ubiquitous food ingredients around. Those who think of salt only as something used to perk up flavor might wonder what could possibly give this ingredient the level of importance it has gained through the ages. In reality, there is much more to this crystalline cube than first meets the eye.



Besides enhancing taste, salt has several other functions in food products. It acts as an antimicrobial or microbiological control agent. It contributes to certain chemical reactions that create a wide variety of food characteristics.



Sometimes the terms "salt" and "sodium" are used interchangeably, but technically this is not correct. "Salt" is sodium chloride. By weight, it is 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride.

Most foods and tap water contain sodium and chloride. Sodium is an essential nutrient, a mineral that the body cannot manufacture itself.

Because of sodium's importance to your body, the excretory and nervous systems guard against under-consumption of salt, which is a threat to your body's nerves and muscles. Other ions such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium are also very important. Concentrations of these ions are held in narrow ranges by the kidney.



The association between eating salt and the risk of blood pressure increasing is difficult to quantify. Some people are sensitive to changes in salt intake whereas others can adjust so that blood pressure does not rise at all.



Americans typically consume 4,000-8,000 mg each day, well above their daily needs. A goal for moderation for all adults, (including pregnancy and lactation) is approximately 2,400 mg of sodium per day.

Pungent or aromatic seasonings obtained from thebark, buds, fruit, roots, seeds or stems of various plants and trees (whereasHERBS usually come from theleafy part of a plant). Spices were prized long before recorded history. Thoughthey've always been used to flavor food and drink, throughout the eons spiceshave also been favored for a plethora of other uses including crowning emperors,making medicines and perfumes, religious ceremonies and as burial accoutrementsfor the wealthy. Over 3,000 years ago the Arabs monopolized the spice trade,bringing their rare cargo back from India and the Orient by arduous camelcaravans.

The herb turmeric, Curcuma longa, has special oils containing curcuminoids  powerful compounds that possess strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that may be valuable in the prevention and treatment of arthritis, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. This Turmeric Extract contains a synergistic blend of curcuminoids, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisedemethoxycurcumin.

Extract

The distilled or evaporated oils of foods or plants (such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, buds, roots, leaves, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy foods, or eggs) that are dissolved in an alcohol base or allowed to dry to be used as a flavoring. Food extracts as they are often labeled, are used to add a concentrated flavor to many food dishes, especially baked goods and desserts, without adding additional volume. Available in solid (cubes, granules or powdered), liquid or jelled form, extracts may be labeled as pure, natural or artificial. Pure and natural extracts are governed by laws in many countries that require compliance with procedures that take the extract ingredients directly from the named flavor, such as extracting oils directly from the vanilla bean to make pure or natural vanilla extract. Artificial extracts are flavors that do not necessarily use any ingredients directly from a source named for the extract but instead used combinations of ingredients to arrive at a flavor representative of the named food extract, such as artificial lemon extract. Some of the most widely used extracts include vanilla, almond, anise, maple, peppermint, and numerous solid or jelled extracts such as beef and chicken bouillon or meat demi-glaces. As an example of how the pure and natural extract is made, vanilla extract is created by soaking vanilla beans in water and an alcohol-based solution where it ages for several months, during which time the vanilla flavor is extracted from the bean. Anise extract, a sweet licorice tasting flavoring, is produced by dissolving the oil of anise seeds into alcohol.



Grape extract is produced to assist with the wine making process. Compounds from the skin of grapes are extracted and added to the wine in order to impart tannin, color, and body into a wine. The characteristics of the wine can be changed dramatically by the amount of time the wine is in contact with the skins. If the grapes are in contact for too long, the resulting wine may be too potent, or what is sometimes called “over-extracted”.



Juices of fruits and vegetables are often extracted as juice extracts to be used similar to other food extracts, as a flavoring when preparing foods. A common utensil for the purpose of extracting lemon juice is available to assist with home recipes requiring a lemon flavoring.

The herb turmeric, Curcuma longa, has special oils containing curcuminoids  powerful compounds that possess strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that may be valuable in the prevention and treatment of arthritis, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. This Turmeric Extract contains a synergistic blend of curcuminoids, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisedemethoxycurcumin.

Extract

The distilled or evaporated oils of foods or plants (such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, buds, roots, leaves, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy foods, or eggs) that are dissolved in an alcohol base or allowed to dry to be used as a flavoring. Food extracts as they are often labeled, are used to add a concentrated flavor to many food dishes, especially baked goods and desserts, without adding additional volume. Available in solid (cubes, granules or powdered), liquid or jelled form, extracts may be labeled as pure, natural or artificial. Pure and natural extracts are governed by laws in many countries that require compliance with procedures that take the extract ingredients directly from the named flavor, such as extracting oils directly from the vanilla bean to make pure or natural vanilla extract. Artificial extracts are flavors that do not necessarily use any ingredients directly from a source named for the extract but instead used combinations of ingredients to arrive at a flavor representative of the named food extract, such as artificial lemon extract. Some of the most widely used extracts include vanilla, almond, anise, maple, peppermint, and numerous solid or jelled extracts such as beef and chicken bouillon or meat demi-glaces. As an example of how the pure and natural extract is made, vanilla extract is created by soaking vanilla beans in water and an alcohol-based solution where it ages for several months, during which time the vanilla flavor is extracted from the bean. Anise extract, a sweet licorice tasting flavoring, is produced by dissolving the oil of anise seeds into alcohol.



Grape extract is produced to assist with the wine making process. Compounds from the skin of grapes are extracted and added to the wine in order to impart tannin, color, and body into a wine. The characteristics of the wine can be changed dramatically by the amount of time the wine is in contact with the skins. If the grapes are in contact for too long, the resulting wine may be too potent, or what is sometimes called “over-extracted”.



Juices of fruits and vegetables are often extracted as juice extracts to be used similar to other food extracts, as a flavoring when preparing foods. A common utensil for the purpose of extracting lemon juice is available to assist with home recipes requiring a lemon flavoring.

Yeast Extract is an often used synonym for Monosodium Glutimate (MSG), to which many people have an adverse reaction to.

Extract

The distilled or evaporated oils of foods or plants (such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, buds, roots, leaves, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy foods, or eggs) that are dissolved in an alcohol base or allowed to dry to be used as a flavoring. Food extracts as they are often labeled, are used to add a concentrated flavor to many food dishes, especially baked goods and desserts, without adding additional volume. Available in solid (cubes, granules or powdered), liquid or jelled form, extracts may be labeled as pure, natural or artificial. Pure and natural extracts are governed by laws in many countries that require compliance with procedures that take the extract ingredients directly from the named flavor, such as extracting oils directly from the vanilla bean to make pure or natural vanilla extract. Artificial extracts are flavors that do not necessarily use any ingredients directly from a source named for the extract but instead used combinations of ingredients to arrive at a flavor representative of the named food extract, such as artificial lemon extract. Some of the most widely used extracts include vanilla, almond, anise, maple, peppermint, and numerous solid or jelled extracts such as beef and chicken bouillon or meat demi-glaces. As an example of how the pure and natural extract is made, vanilla extract is created by soaking vanilla beans in water and an alcohol-based solution where it ages for several months, during which time the vanilla flavor is extracted from the bean. Anise extract, a sweet licorice tasting flavoring, is produced by dissolving the oil of anise seeds into alcohol.



Grape extract is produced to assist with the wine making process. Compounds from the skin of grapes are extracted and added to the wine in order to impart tannin, color, and body into a wine. The characteristics of the wine can be changed dramatically by the amount of time the wine is in contact with the skins. If the grapes are in contact for too long, the resulting wine may be too potent, or what is sometimes called “over-extracted”.



Juices of fruits and vegetables are often extracted as juice extracts to be used similar to other food extracts, as a flavoring when preparing foods. A common utensil for the purpose of extracting lemon juice is available to assist with home recipes requiring a lemon flavoring.

Corn or maize is native to America but is now grown throughout the world. In grain form it is the staple diet for American Indians in Mexico, Peru and Southern North America.



The Maori were given maize by American sailors which they grew and ate both fresh and fermented. The fermented corn was known as kaanga. Its strong smell didn't appeal to Pakeha who ate corn mainly as a grain. Eventually a sweet form was developed, and hence the name sweetcorn, it wasn't until the 1960's that sweetcorn became a really popular fresh vegetable. Several varieties are available including some with white kernels and others with a mix of yellow and white kernels. Varieties differ in sweetness. Recently the supersweet varieties have become popular, with Honey 'n' Pearl being the most widely grown.



Sweetcorn is a very good source of fiber, protein and starch. corn is a great source of vitamin A, fiber, and other nutrients.





Finely ground cornmeal, corn flour comes in yellow and white and is used for breading and in combination with other flours in baked goods. Corn flour is milled from the whole kernel, while CORNSTARCH is obtained from the endosperm portion of the kernel. In British recipes the term "cornflour" is used synonymously with the U.S. word cornstarch. MASA HARINA is a special corn flour that's the basic ingredient for corn tortillas.

Corn or maize is native to America but is now grown throughout the world. In grain form it is the staple diet for American Indians in Mexico, Peru and Southern North America.



The Maori were given maize by American sailors which they grew and ate both fresh and fermented. The fermented corn was known as kaanga. Its strong smell didn't appeal to Pakeha who ate corn mainly as a grain. Eventually a sweet form was developed, and hence the name sweetcorn, it wasn't until the 1960's that sweetcorn became a really popular fresh vegetable. Several varieties are available including some with white kernels and others with a mix of yellow and white kernels. Varieties differ in sweetness. Recently the supersweet varieties have become popular, with Honey 'n' Pearl being the most widely grown.



Sweetcorn is a very good source of fiber, protein and starch. corn is a great source of vitamin A, fiber, and other nutrients.





Finely ground cornmeal, corn flour comes in yellow and white and is used for breading and in combination with other flours in baked goods. Corn flour is milled from the whole kernel, while CORNSTARCH is obtained from the endosperm portion of the kernel. In British recipes the term "cornflour" is used synonymously with the U.S. word cornstarch. MASA HARINA is a special corn flour that's the basic ingredient for corn tortillas.

Researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Center (HNRCA) have found that blueberries rank #1 in antioxidant activity when compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful by-products of metabolism called "free radicals" that can lead to cancer and other age related diseases. Anthocyanin -- the pigment that makes the blueberries blue -- is thought to be responsible for this major health benefit.

In another USDA Human Nutrition Center (HNRCA) lab, neuroscientists discovered that feeding blueberries to laboratory rats slowed age-related loss in their mental capacity, a finding that has important implications for humans. Again, the high antioxidant activity of blueberries probably played a role.

A one cup serving of blueberries contains 16% DV of fiber. Blueberries are a source of Vitamins A and C, potassium and folate.

Blueberries are very low in fat and sodium.

– A concentrate is a form of substance which has had the majority of its base component, or solvent, removed. Typically this will be the removal of water from a solution or suspension such as the removal of water from fruit juice. The benefit of producing a concentrate is that of a reduction in weight for transportation as the concentrate can be re-constituted at the time of usage

Corn or maize is native to America but is now grown throughout the world. In grain form it is the staple diet for American Indians in Mexico, Peru and Southern North America.



The Maori were given maize by American sailors which they grew and ate both fresh and fermented. The fermented corn was known as kaanga. Its strong smell didn't appeal to Pakeha who ate corn mainly as a grain. Eventually a sweet form was developed, and hence the name sweetcorn, it wasn't until the 1960's that sweetcorn became a really popular fresh vegetable. Several varieties are available including some with white kernels and others with a mix of yellow and white kernels. Varieties differ in sweetness. Recently the supersweet varieties have become popular, with Honey 'n' Pearl being the most widely grown.



Sweetcorn is a very good source of fiber, protein and starch. corn is a great source of vitamin A, fiber, and other nutrients.



.

Also known as: turtle beans, black Spanish beans, Tampiko beans, and Venezuelan beans. Black beans are small, oval and black. They have cream colored flesh, a mild, sweet, earthy taste, and a soft texture. Black beans, as most beans, are also great sources of starches, fiber, B vitamins, iron, zinc, phosphorus, carbohydrates and calcium. Almost half of the calcium is lost during cooking. High percentages of the other nutrients remain however, even after cooking.

Currently, tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables eaten by Americans. Tomatoes are members of the fruit family, but they are served and prepared as a vegetable. This is why most people consider them a vegetable and not a fruit. They are high in vitamin C and also provide beta-carotene. The National Cancer Institute published a study that showed an association between consuming a diet rich in tomato-based foods and a decreased risk of prostate cancer.



Tomatoes contain large amounts of an antioxidant called lycopene, which may be responsible for this possible positive effect. Tomato paste and sauces contain a greater amount of lycopene, because they are more concentrated than fresh tomatoes.



Lycopene is a bright red carotenoid pigment (phytochemical) found in tomatoes and other red fruits. Lycopene is the most common carotenoid in the human body and is one of the most potent carotenoid antioxidants. Its name is derived from the tomato's species classification, Solanum lycopersicum. Ironically, the highest natural concentrations of lycopene in food are found not in tomatoes, but in watermelon. Almost all dietary lycopene comes from tomato products, however.



Recent research has indicated that lycopene, a carotenoid with potent antioxidant effects which is found in raw tomatoes, may be responsible for the protection against cancers. This is possibly the reason why people living in the Mediterranean who eat lots of tomatoes have a lower rate of some cancers.

Without doubt the onion is the most used flavoring vegetable in the world. There is hardly a savoury dish that doesn't include onions or one of its relatives - white and red onions, garlic, chives, shallots, spring onions and leeks. Members of the onion family vary enormously in shape, size, colour, texture and intensity of flavor. Onions, particularly garlic, have also been used as medicines. The ancient Egyptians worshipped onions and during the Middle Ages they were used as currency. Onions give you some vitamin C and fiber. Scientists have recently discovered that flavenoids found in onions may protect people from heart disease.



Cocktail onions

These tiny onions have a sweet white flesh and are sold pickled in vinegar. They are the smallest variety available.

Uses: Serve pickled cocktail onions with a selection of cold meats or with crusty bread and mature Cheddar cheese.

To store: Keep in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.



Pearl onions

Also known as button or baby onions, these are larger than pickling onions and have a sweet, delicate flavour.

Uses: Add whole to stews and casseroles or cook them very gently in a little butter and a splash of balsamic vinegar for 20-30 minutes until tender, serve with roasted meat.



Pickling onions

These are maincrop onions, picked when they are still small. Available only in the autumn, they have a strong, pungent flavour.

Seasonal availability: September to November.

Uses: Preserve them in vinegar, leave to mature and enjoy them with cheese and cold meats. They can also be added whole to casseroles in place of shallots or standard onions.

To store: Store in a dark, cool, airy place.

To prepare: Chop off the neck and just a little of the base to help the onion stay together. Score a line down the side of the onion and peel away the outer skin and first layer of flesh. To make peeling easier, soak the onions in warm water to soften the skins.



Red onions

Red onions have a mild sweet flavour and an attractive colour.

Uses: As a garnish or combine with tomatoes and red leaf lettuce for a colourful salad, or include in homemade chutneys to serve with cheese and cold meats. Try them quartered and roasted in olive oil.

Seasonal availability: All year, English from October to April.

To store: Store in a dark, cool, airy place.

To prepare: Cut the neck and base away, then score down the side of the onion and remove the skin and first layer of flesh. To help hold back the tears during preparation, chill the onion first for 30 minutes and always remove the root end last. The root contains the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds which make the eyes water.



Shallots

These are not baby onions (as pickling onions are) but a close relation of the onion. They have a mild, delicate flavour which is less overpowering than most onions so do try to use shallots where a recipe specifies if possible. Shallots grow in a similar way to garlic - when you peel one there may be two or three held together at the root.

Seasonal availability: All year.

Uses: Use in recipes where a small amount of onion is used or where a subtle onion flavour is needed. They are often included in rich, creamy sauces where just a hint of onion flavour is needed.

To store: Keep in a cool, dry place.

To prepare: Top and tail shallots and then peel the outer skin away. If there are several bulbs, pull them apart and then slice.



Spanish onions

Onions grown in warm climates are milder than those from cooler regions, consequently Spanish onions have a mild, sweet flavour. Their skins are a rich golden colour and they are one of the largest varieties available.

Seasonal availability: All year.

Uses: Serve raw in salads, stuff and bake them or add to any savoury dish where a subtle onion flavour is required.

To store: Store in a dark, cool, airy place.

To prepare: Cut the neck and base away, then score down the side of the onion and remove the skin and first layer of flesh. To help hold back the tears during preparation, chill them first for 30 minutes and always remove the root end last. The root contains the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds which make the eyes water.



Spring onions

Also known as salad onions, these are onions that have been harvested at a very young age. They have green shoots and a creamy white bulb, both of which can be eaten. They have a mild flavour and are often eaten raw.

Seasonal availability: May to September.

Uses: In salads, stir-fries, omelettes or sandwich fillings.

To store: Keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

To prepare: Trim off the root and the outer leaves. Serve whole or sliced, the green tops can be snipped using kitchen scissors.



White onions

With a strong, pungent flavour and distinctive white skin and flesh, white onions are increasingly popular.

Uses: Ideal for serving raw in salads or cooked they are very versatile.



Yellow onions

These are the most commonly used onions and they have a golden brown skin. They have a pungent aroma, a strong flavour and are a good all-round onion.

Seasonal availability: All year.

Uses: In a wide variety of dishes from casseroles, pies and quiches to stir-fries, sauces and pizzas.

To store: Keep in a dark, airy place.

To prepare: Cut the neck and base away, then score down the side of the onion and remove the skin and first layer of flesh. To help hold back the tears during preparation, chill them first for 30 minutes and always remove the root end last. The root contains the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds which make the eyes water.

Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C. If you thought citrus fruits packed a powerful punch when it comes to being a good source of vitamin C, peppers have them beat. Green peppers have twice the amount of vitamin C by weight than citrus fruits, and this powerful punch of vitamin C is an antioxidant that may be effective in preventing certain cancers. Red bell peppers have three times as much vitamin C as the green varieties and are a good source of beta carotene.



Varieties

Bell peppers can be found in a rainbow of colors and can vary in flavor. The variety of the pepper plant and the stage of the ripeness determine the flavor and color of each pepper. For example, a red bell pepper is simply a mature green bell pepper. As a bell pepper ages, its flavor becomes sweeter and milder. Red bell peppers contain eleven times more beta carotene than green bell peppers.



Selection

Bell peppers are available and are in good supply all year, but they are more plentiful and less expensive during the summer months. Fresh peppers come in variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, but when selecting them, they all follow the same guidelines. Their skin should be firm without any wrinkles, and the stem should be fresh and green. They should feel heavy for their size. Avoid peppers with sunken areas, slashes or black spots.



Storage

Store unwashed bell peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for about a week. Green bell peppers will stay fresh a little longer than the yellow and red ones.



Make Bell Peppers Part of Your 5 A Day Plan

* Use them to create colorful and exciting meals by adding a mixture of different colored sliced or chopped peppers to your favorite salads, pastas, and Chinese or Mexican dishes.

* They can be used as a colorful garnish.

* Include sliced peppers on your next veggie tray.

* Carve out peppers and stuff them with rice or use them as colorful containers for dips or other edible items.

There are over 1,000 varieties of this nutritious LEGUME, ranging in size from as small as a pea to as large as a cherry. Soybean pods, which are covered with a fine tawny to gray fuzz, range in color from tan to black. The beans themselves come in various combinations of red, yellow, green, brown and black. Their flavor is generally quite bland, which may explain why they weren't embraced by Western cultures until their nutritive value was discovered. Unlike other legumes, the soybean is low in carbohydrates and high in protein and desirable oil. Because they're inexpensive and nutrition-packed, soybeans are used to produce a wide variety of products

Omega-3's

Certain fatty fish, like salmon and tuna, contain the best source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. But certain plant foods, like flaxseed and soybeans, also contain these fatty acids. Soybeans are one of the best non-fish sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Compared to other beans like pinto beans and navy beans, soybeans have a higher fat content, but this fat contains these heart-healthy omega-3's.

Salt is one of the most ubiquitous food ingredients around. Those who think of salt only as something used to perk up flavor might wonder what could possibly give this ingredient the level of importance it has gained through the ages. In reality, there is much more to this crystalline cube than first meets the eye.



Besides enhancing taste, salt has several other functions in food products. It acts as an antimicrobial or microbiological control agent. It contributes to certain chemical reactions that create a wide variety of food characteristics.



Sometimes the terms "salt" and "sodium" are used interchangeably, but technically this is not correct. "Salt" is sodium chloride. By weight, it is 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride.

Most foods and tap water contain sodium and chloride. Sodium is an essential nutrient, a mineral that the body cannot manufacture itself.

Because of sodium's importance to your body, the excretory and nervous systems guard against under-consumption of salt, which is a threat to your body's nerves and muscles. Other ions such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium are also very important. Concentrations of these ions are held in narrow ranges by the kidney.



The association between eating salt and the risk of blood pressure increasing is difficult to quantify. Some people are sensitive to changes in salt intake whereas others can adjust so that blood pressure does not rise at all.



Americans typically consume 4,000-8,000 mg each day, well above their daily needs. A goal for moderation for all adults, (including pregnancy and lactation) is approximately 2,400 mg of sodium per day.

Today's brown sugar is white sugar combined with MOLASSES, which gives it a soft texture. The two most commonly marketed styles of brown sugar are light and dark, with some manufacturers providing variations in between. In general, the lighter the brown sugar, the more delicate the flavor. The very dark or "old-fashioned" style has a more intense molasses flavor.

Pungent or aromatic seasonings obtained from thebark, buds, fruit, roots, seeds or stems of various plants and trees (whereasHERBS usually come from theleafy part of a plant). Spices were prized long before recorded history. Thoughthey've always been used to flavor food and drink, throughout the eons spiceshave also been favored for a plethora of other uses including crowning emperors,making medicines and perfumes, religious ceremonies and as burial accoutrementsfor the wealthy. Over 3,000 years ago the Arabs monopolized the spice trade,bringing their rare cargo back from India and the Orient by arduous camelcaravans.

Although most chili peppers are indigenous to South America, they are used and grown around the world. Hot peppers are used in abundance in Mexican, South American, Indonesian, African and Oriental cooking, while the milder peppers are common in European and North American recipes. And, peppers have been cultivated for thousands of years for their medicinal properties, known for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, in addition to their culinary purposes.

The Scoville Unit rating of a pepper is determined by a dilution taste test. Pure ground chili peppers are blended with a sugar-water solution. A panel of testers sips the mixture in increasingly diluted concentrations until it no longer burns the mouth. The Scoville Unit number is based on how much the ground chili needs to be diluted before no heat is detected. (Nowadays, liquid chromatography, rather than Scoville's dilution taste test, is used to evaluate the heat of chili peppers.)

Dehydrate: various processes to remove water content from food, mostly to prolong shelf-life.



Without doubt the onion is the most used flavoring vegetable in the world. There is hardly a savoury dish that doesn't include onions or one of its relatives - white and red onions, garlic, chives, shallots, spring onions and leeks. Members of the onion family vary enormously in shape, size, colour, texture and intensity of flavor. Onions, particularly garlic, have also been used as medicines. The ancient Egyptians worshipped onions and during the Middle Ages they were used as currency. Onions give you some vitamin C and fiber. Scientists have recently discovered that flavenoids found in onions may protect people from heart disease.



Cocktail onions

These tiny onions have a sweet white flesh and are sold pickled in vinegar. They are the smallest variety available.

Uses: Serve pickled cocktail onions with a selection of cold meats or with crusty bread and mature Cheddar cheese.

To store: Keep in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.



Pearl onions

Also known as button or baby onions, these are larger than pickling onions and have a sweet, delicate flavour.

Uses: Add whole to stews and casseroles or cook them very gently in a little butter and a splash of balsamic vinegar for 20-30 minutes until tender, serve with roasted meat.



Pickling onions

These are maincrop onions, picked when they are still small. Available only in the autumn, they have a strong, pungent flavour.

Seasonal availability: September to November.

Uses: Preserve them in vinegar, leave to mature and enjoy them with cheese and cold meats. They can also be added whole to casseroles in place of shallots or standard onions.

To store: Store in a dark, cool, airy place.

To prepare: Chop off the neck and just a little of the base to help the onion stay together. Score a line down the side of the onion and peel away the outer skin and first layer of flesh. To make peeling easier, soak the onions in warm water to soften the skins.



Red onions

Red onions have a mild sweet flavour and an attractive colour.

Uses: As a garnish or combine with tomatoes and red leaf lettuce for a colourful salad, or include in homemade chutneys to serve with cheese and cold meats. Try them quartered and roasted in olive oil.

Seasonal availability: All year, English from October to April.

To store: Store in a dark, cool, airy place.

To prepare: Cut the neck and base away, then score down the side of the onion and remove the skin and first layer of flesh. To help hold back the tears during preparation, chill the onion first for 30 minutes and always remove the root end last. The root contains the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds which make the eyes water.



Shallots

These are not baby onions (as pickling onions are) but a close relation of the onion. They have a mild, delicate flavour which is less overpowering than most onions so do try to use shallots where a recipe specifies if possible. Shallots grow in a similar way to garlic - when you peel one there may be two or three held together at the root.

Seasonal availability: All year.

Uses: Use in recipes where a small amount of onion is used or where a subtle onion flavour is needed. They are often included in rich, creamy sauces where just a hint of onion flavour is needed.

To store: Keep in a cool, dry place.

To prepare: Top and tail shallots and then peel the outer skin away. If there are several bulbs, pull them apart and then slice.



Spanish onions

Onions grown in warm climates are milder than those from cooler regions, consequently Spanish onions have a mild, sweet flavour. Their skins are a rich golden colour and they are one of the largest varieties available.

Seasonal availability: All year.

Uses: Serve raw in salads, stuff and bake them or add to any savoury dish where a subtle onion flavour is required.

To store: Store in a dark, cool, airy place.

To prepare: Cut the neck and base away, then score down the side of the onion and remove the skin and first layer of flesh. To help hold back the tears during preparation, chill them first for 30 minutes and always remove the root end last. The root contains the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds which make the eyes water.



Spring onions

Also known as salad onions, these are onions that have been harvested at a very young age. They have green shoots and a creamy white bulb, both of which can be eaten. They have a mild flavour and are often eaten raw.

Seasonal availability: May to September.

Uses: In salads, stir-fries, omelettes or sandwich fillings.

To store: Keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

To prepare: Trim off the root and the outer leaves. Serve whole or sliced, the green tops can be snipped using kitchen scissors.



White onions

With a strong, pungent flavour and distinctive white skin and flesh, white onions are increasingly popular.

Uses: Ideal for serving raw in salads or cooked they are very versatile.



Yellow onions

These are the most commonly used onions and they have a golden brown skin. They have a pungent aroma, a strong flavour and are a good all-round onion.

Seasonal availability: All year.

Uses: In a wide variety of dishes from casseroles, pies and quiches to stir-fries, sauces and pizzas.

To store: Keep in a dark, airy place.

To prepare: Cut the neck and base away, then score down the side of the onion and remove the skin and first layer of flesh. To help hold back the tears during preparation, chill them first for 30 minutes and always remove the root end last. The root contains the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds which make the eyes water.

This small, lemon-shaped citrus fruit has a thin green skin and a juicy, pale green pulp. Limes grow in tropical and subtropical climes such as Mexico, California, Florida and the Caribbean. Because they're an excellent source of vitamin C, limes were fed to British sailors as a scurvy preventative (the fact that was the springboard for the pejorative nickname "limey"). The two main varieties are the Persian lime (the most widely available in the United States) and the Key lime from Florida.

Yeast Extract Autolyzed

Also called Yeast Autolysate, autolyzed yeast extract is the result from the water-soluble components of the yeast cell breaking down proteins under acidic and cold environments. It contains free glutamic acid, the source of the flavor enhancing properties of the yeast extract. The product is used as a flavor enhancer and can be found as a liquid, paste, powder, or granular form. See Monosodium Glutamate.

Food Chemicals Codex. Washington, D.C.: National Academy, 2006. Print.

Dehydrate: various processes to remove water content from food, mostly to prolong shelf-life.



For most people garlic is eaten only in small quantities so is more important for its great taste than nutritional value. However, recent research has reported that garlic has the ability to reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood, a property attributed to the sulphur containing substance, allicin. Garlic is also supposed to be a natural antiseptic and to cure colds.

Related to the onion, garlic is a small bulb consisting of "cloves". The cloves should be peeled prior to using. The leaves are grass like and the flower rises from a single central stem. When harvesting or purchasing bulbs, they should be white to off white / light yellow and firm. Avoid bulbs which are mushy or soft.

Garlic may be used in many forms such as fresh, dried, processed into supplements and cooking.



Actions / Properties:

Internally - antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, antiseptic, antiviral, hypotensive-vasodilator, cholagogue, antispasmodic, decreases blood cholesterol, increases HDL, anti-atheromatic, PAF antagonist, increases fibrinolytic activity, hypoglycemic, expectorant, diaphoretic, antioxidant, antitumour, antineoplastic, antimutagenic, diuretic, carminative, emmenagogue.

Topcal Uses - antimicrobial, antifungal, expectorant

Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C. If you thought citrus fruits packed a powerful punch when it comes to being a good source of vitamin C, peppers have them beat. Green peppers have twice the amount of vitamin C by weight than citrus fruits, and this powerful punch of vitamin C is an antioxidant that may be effective in preventing certain cancers. Red bell peppers have three times as much vitamin C as the green varieties and are a good source of beta carotene.



Varieties

Bell peppers can be found in a rainbow of colors and can vary in flavor. The variety of the pepper plant and the stage of the ripeness determine the flavor and color of each pepper. For example, a red bell pepper is simply a mature green bell pepper. As a bell pepper ages, its flavor becomes sweeter and milder. Red bell peppers contain eleven times more beta carotene than green bell peppers.



Selection

Bell peppers are available and are in good supply all year, but they are more plentiful and less expensive during the summer months. Fresh peppers come in variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, but when selecting them, they all follow the same guidelines. Their skin should be firm without any wrinkles, and the stem should be fresh and green. They should feel heavy for their size. Avoid peppers with sunken areas, slashes or black spots.



Storage

Store unwashed bell peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for about a week. Green bell peppers will stay fresh a little longer than the yellow and red ones.



Make Bell Peppers Part of Your 5 A Day Plan

* Use them to create colorful and exciting meals by adding a mixture of different colored sliced or chopped peppers to your favorite salads, pastas, and Chinese or Mexican dishes.

* They can be used as a colorful garnish.

* Include sliced peppers on your next veggie tray.

* Carve out peppers and stuff them with rice or use them as colorful containers for dips or other edible items.

A colorless, crystalline organic compound belonging to the family of carboxylic acids, present in practically all plants and in many animal tissues and fluids. It is one of a series of compounds involved in the physiological oxidation of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to carbon dioxide and water.



First isolated from lemon juice by a Swedish chemist, Carl Wilhelm Scheele, in 1784, citric acid is manufactured by fermentation of cane sugar or molasses in the presence of a fungus, Aspergillus niger. It is used in confections and soft drinks (as a flavoring agent), in metal-cleaning compositions, and in improving the stability of foods and other organic substances (by suppressing the deleterious action of dissolved metal salts)."



Citrus fruits are notable for their fragrance, and most are juice-laden. They contain a high proportion of citric acid giving them their characteristic astringent odour and flavour. They are also good sources of vitamin C. In botanical terms, "The fruit of all Citrus trees, in which the true fruit is the peel, [is] made up of an outer layer, brightly colored and rich in glands, a spongey whitish mesocarp, and a membraneous endocarp surrounding the segments. The succulent parts we eat is only a secondary tissue developed as a filler"



List of citrus fruits:

Amanatsu

Bergamot orange

Bitter orange (Seville Orange)

Calamondin (Calamansi)

Citron

Clementine

Golden Lime - hybrid between the genus Citrus and the genus Fortunella

Daidai

Dancy

Grapefruit

Ichang Lemon

Iyokan

Kaffir lime

Key lime

Kumquat - in the related genus Fortunella, not Citrus; forms hybrids with Citrus

Lemon

Lime

Limequat

Mandarin Lime

Mandarin Orange

Meyer Lemon

Mikan

Minneola

Natsumikan

Orange

Orangelo (Chironja)

Orangequat

Persian lime (Tahiti lime)

Pomelo (Pummelo, Shaddock)

Ponkan

Rangpur (Lemanderin)

Rough Lemon

Satsuma

Shekwasha (Taiwan Tangerine)

Sudachi

Sweetie

Tachibana Orange

Tangelo

Tangerine

Tangor

Ugli

Yuzu



Some brands of Citric Acid may be made from wheat, however this is very rare.

"The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional."

The new labeling law effective in 2006, The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), requires manufacturers to declare if one or more of the 8 major food allergens are contained in a natural flavoring. The top 8 major food allergens are defined as: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans.

If you are managing food allergies other than the top 8 major food allergens, however, the new law will not be of assistance to you in identifying the sources in any natural flavoring stated on a label.

The FDA does not require companies to disclose ingredients of color or flavor additives so long as all the chemicals in them are considered by the agency to be GRAS ("generally recognized as safe") enabling companies to maintain secrecy of formulas. It also hides the fact that flavors often contain more ingredients than the foods to which they give taste.

A typical artificial strawberry flavor contains over 30 chemicals. According to manufacturer safety data sheets those chemicals cause eye irritation, corneal damage, eye burns, skin irritation, severe / permanent damage to digestive tract, gastrointestinal irritation, gastrointestinal tract burns, CNS depression, neurological effects, liver abnormalities, cardiac abnormalities, or other harm.

Natural flavor, according to the FDA, must be derived entirely from natural sources (herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, beef, chicken, yeast, bark, roots, etc). Consumers prefer to see natural flavors on a label out of a belief they are more healthful.

Natural flavor is not necessarily more healthful or purer than an artificial flavor. Almond flavor when derived from natural sources may contain traces of hydrogen cyanide, a deadly poison. When derived by mixing oil of clove & amyl acetate, it does not. Natural flavors and artificial flavors are often manufactured at same chemical plants.

Flavor manufacturing may also involve biotechnology, using enzyme reactions, fermentation, & fungal and tissue cultures. Flavors created by these methods are considered natural flavors by the FDA.

In addition to flavor chemicals also think about genetic engineering of food, DNA or gene alteration, and medicines and hormones given to cows, cattle, hogs, and chickens. What affect does it have upon us? Some are suspected causes of cancer or other problems.

When a natural flavor or artificial flavor is added to a food or drink the resultant processed food is no longer natural & is potentially harmful.

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20030608101921/www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/opa-bckg.html

"The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional."

The new labeling law effective in 2006, The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), requires manufacturers to declare if one or more of the 8 major food allergens are contained in a natural flavoring. The top 8 major food allergens are defined as: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans.

If you are managing food allergies other than the top 8 major food allergens, however, the new law will not be of assistance to you in identifying the sources in any natural flavoring stated on a label.

The FDA does not require companies to disclose ingredients of color or flavor additives so long as all the chemicals in them are considered by the agency to be GRAS ("generally recognized as safe") enabling companies to maintain secrecy of formulas. It also hides the fact that flavors often contain more ingredients than the foods to which they give taste.

A typical artificial strawberry flavor contains over 30 chemicals. According to manufacturer safety data sheets those chemicals cause eye irritation, corneal damage, eye burns, skin irritation, severe / permanent damage to digestive tract, gastrointestinal irritation, gastrointestinal tract burns, CNS depression, neurological effects, liver abnormalities, cardiac abnormalities, or other harm.

Natural flavor, according to the FDA, must be derived entirely from natural sources (herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, beef, chicken, yeast, bark, roots, etc). Consumers prefer to see natural flavors on a label out of a belief they are more healthful.

Natural flavor is not necessarily more healthful or purer than an artificial flavor. Almond flavor when derived from natural sources may contain traces of hydrogen cyanide, a deadly poison. When derived by mixing oil of clove & amyl acetate, it does not. Natural flavors and artificial flavors are often manufactured at same chemical plants.

Flavor manufacturing may also involve biotechnology, using enzyme reactions, fermentation, & fungal and tissue cultures. Flavors created by these methods are considered natural flavors by the FDA.

In addition to flavor chemicals also think about genetic engineering of food, DNA or gene alteration, and medicines and hormones given to cows, cattle, hogs, and chickens. What affect does it have upon us? Some are suspected causes of cancer or other problems.

When a natural flavor or artificial flavor is added to a food or drink the resultant processed food is no longer natural & is potentially harmful.

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20030608101921/www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/opa-bckg.html

Flavor(s) Natural Smoke

Smoke flavor is made by condensing the smoke used from cooking with a wood fire into water. The components of the water are filtered and the flavorful components are retained. There are certain criteria for approving labels labeled with “smoke flavor.” If it is directly added to the product, “smoke flavor” is labeled right after the product or ingredient (e.g. Chicken soup smoke flavor). The phrase “added” must be after the “smoke flavor” if the flavoring is added through another product indirectly. If liquid smoke was sprayed onto the product, the labeling would simply read “smoke flavoring added.” Smoked flavoring currently issues a concern with the burning of beech wood which produces AM01 when condensed with water. The study was not conclusive, but the evidence of the toxic nature of AM01 is enough to make natural smoked flavoring controversial.

Hui, Y. H.. Handbook of food science, technology, and engineering . Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis, 2006.

Print.

“What is the ‘Natural Smoke Flavor’ in your soft chew for dogs?” Nutrivet: Animal Wellness For Life. Web. 17 May 2011.
vet.com/pages/FAQ.html>.

"Scientific Opinion on Safety of smoke flavour - Primary Product – AM 01." European Food Safety Authority Journal 8 (2010): n. pag. European

Food Safety Authority. Web. 17 May 2011.









"The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional."

The new labeling law effective in 2006, The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), requires manufacturers to declare if one or more of the 8 major food allergens are contained in a natural flavoring. The top 8 major food allergens are defined as: milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts and soybeans.

If you are managing food allergies other than the top 8 major food allergens, however, the new law will not be of assistance to you in identifying the sources in any natural flavoring stated on a label.

The FDA does not require companies to disclose ingredients of color or flavor additives so long as all the chemicals in them are considered by the agency to be GRAS ("generally recognized as safe") enabling companies to maintain secrecy of formulas. It also hides the fact that flavors often contain more ingredients than the foods to which they give taste.

A typical artificial strawberry flavor contains over 30 chemicals. According to manufacturer safety data sheets those chemicals cause eye irritation, corneal damage, eye burns, skin irritation, severe / permanent damage to digestive tract, gastrointestinal irritation, gastrointestinal tract burns, CNS depression, neurological effects, liver abnormalities, cardiac abnormalities, or other harm.

Natural flavor, according to the FDA, must be derived entirely from natural sources (herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, beef, chicken, yeast, bark, roots, etc). Consumers prefer to see natural flavors on a label out of a belief they are more healthful.

Natural flavor is not necessarily more healthful or purer than an artificial flavor. Almond flavor when derived from natural sources may contain traces of hydrogen cyanide, a deadly poison. When derived by mixing oil of clove & amyl acetate, it does not. Natural flavors and artificial flavors are often manufactured at same chemical plants.

Flavor manufacturing may also involve biotechnology, using enzyme reactions, fermentation, & fungal and tissue cultures. Flavors created by these methods are considered natural flavors by the FDA.

In addition to flavor chemicals also think about genetic engineering of food, DNA or gene alteration, and medicines and hormones given to cows, cattle, hogs, and chickens. What affect does it have upon us? Some are suspected causes of cancer or other problems.

When a natural flavor or artificial flavor is added to a food or drink the resultant processed food is no longer natural & is potentially harmful.

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20030608101921/www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/opa-bckg.html

Silicon Dioxide is primarily used to prevent caking. Add less than 2% by weight. considered safe



A mineral that keeps salt and seasoning blends from clotting, clumping or foaming

There are over 1,000 varieties of this nutritious LEGUME, ranging in size from as small as a pea to as large as a cherry. Soybean pods, which are covered with a fine tawny to gray fuzz, range in color from tan to black. The beans themselves come in various combinations of red, yellow, green, brown and black. Their flavor is generally quite bland, which may explain why they weren't embraced by Western cultures until their nutritive value was discovered. Unlike other legumes, the soybean is low in carbohydrates and high in protein and desirable oil. Because they're inexpensive and nutrition-packed, soybeans are used to produce a wide variety of products

Omega-3's

Certain fatty fish, like salmon and tuna, contain the best source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. But certain plant foods, like flaxseed and soybeans, also contain these fatty acids. Soybeans are one of the best non-fish sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Compared to other beans like pinto beans and navy beans, soybeans have a higher fat content, but this fat contains these heart-healthy omega-3's.

A grape tomato is a class of tomatoes originally believed to be of southeast Asian origin, shaped similarly to the oblong plum tomatoes but having the small size and sweetness of cherry tomatoes. Grape tomatoes produce small and typically oblong fruits. Introduced to the worldwide market in the 1990s, they have gained substantial popularity, due at least in part to their higher sugar content compared to regular tomatoes, and due to their smaller, bite-sized shape. (See the Washington Post article.)



The most well-known and commercially significant variety, "Santa F1" was introduced into the United States market in 1997 by grower Andrew Chu, who obtained the seeds from Taiwan's Known-You Seed Company. Procacci Brothers Sales Corporation (PBSC) in Philadelphia acquired global exclusivity of this fruit and has aggressively marketed it under its subsidiary Santa Sweets, Inc.



The Santa F1 variety is very rare in seed form, being offered only by a few seed houses around the world (the United Kingdom's Thompson and Morgan has sporadically featured the variety in its catalog from time to time (see below)); in addition, some gardeners have reported [1] that the seed can breed true out to six or more generations, an assertion that has received little notice from most gardening authorities. Other grape tomato cultivars, most notably Juliet, are more widely available to home gardeners.

Without doubt the onion is the most used flavoring vegetable in the world. There is hardly a savoury dish that doesn't include onions or one of its relatives - white and red onions, garlic, chives, shallots, spring onions and leeks. Members of the onion family vary enormously in shape, size, colour, texture and intensity of flavor. Onions, particularly garlic, have also been used as medicines. The ancient Egyptians worshipped onions and during the Middle Ages they were used as currency. Onions give you some vitamin C and fiber. Scientists have recently discovered that flavenoids found in onions may protect people from heart disease.



Cocktail onions

These tiny onions have a sweet white flesh and are sold pickled in vinegar. They are the smallest variety available.

Uses: Serve pickled cocktail onions with a selection of cold meats or with crusty bread and mature Cheddar cheese.

To store: Keep in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.



Pearl onions

Also known as button or baby onions, these are larger than pickling onions and have a sweet, delicate flavour.

Uses: Add whole to stews and casseroles or cook them very gently in a little butter and a splash of balsamic vinegar for 20-30 minutes until tender, serve with roasted meat.



Pickling onions

These are maincrop onions, picked when they are still small. Available only in the autumn, they have a strong, pungent flavour.

Seasonal availability: September to November.

Uses: Preserve them in vinegar, leave to mature and enjoy them with cheese and cold meats. They can also be added whole to casseroles in place of shallots or standard onions.

To store: Store in a dark, cool, airy place.

To prepare: Chop off the neck and just a little of the base to help the onion stay together. Score a line down the side of the onion and peel away the outer skin and first layer of flesh. To make peeling easier, soak the onions in warm water to soften the skins.



Red onions

Red onions have a mild sweet flavour and an attractive colour.

Uses: As a garnish or combine with tomatoes and red leaf lettuce for a colourful salad, or include in homemade chutneys to serve with cheese and cold meats. Try them quartered and roasted in olive oil.

Seasonal availability: All year, English from October to April.

To store: Store in a dark, cool, airy place.

To prepare: Cut the neck and base away, then score down the side of the onion and remove the skin and first layer of flesh. To help hold back the tears during preparation, chill the onion first for 30 minutes and always remove the root end last. The root contains the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds which make the eyes water.



Shallots

These are not baby onions (as pickling onions are) but a close relation of the onion. They have a mild, delicate flavour which is less overpowering than most onions so do try to use shallots where a recipe specifies if possible. Shallots grow in a similar way to garlic - when you peel one there may be two or three held together at the root.

Seasonal availability: All year.

Uses: Use in recipes where a small amount of onion is used or where a subtle onion flavour is needed. They are often included in rich, creamy sauces where just a hint of onion flavour is needed.

To store: Keep in a cool, dry place.

To prepare: Top and tail shallots and then peel the outer skin away. If there are several bulbs, pull them apart and then slice.



Spanish onions

Onions grown in warm climates are milder than those from cooler regions, consequently Spanish onions have a mild, sweet flavour. Their skins are a rich golden colour and they are one of the largest varieties available.

Seasonal availability: All year.

Uses: Serve raw in salads, stuff and bake them or add to any savoury dish where a subtle onion flavour is required.

To store: Store in a dark, cool, airy place.

To prepare: Cut the neck and base away, then score down the side of the onion and remove the skin and first layer of flesh. To help hold back the tears during preparation, chill them first for 30 minutes and always remove the root end last. The root contains the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds which make the eyes water.



Spring onions

Also known as salad onions, these are onions that have been harvested at a very young age. They have green shoots and a creamy white bulb, both of which can be eaten. They have a mild flavour and are often eaten raw.

Seasonal availability: May to September.

Uses: In salads, stir-fries, omelettes or sandwich fillings.

To store: Keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

To prepare: Trim off the root and the outer leaves. Serve whole or sliced, the green tops can be snipped using kitchen scissors.



White onions

With a strong, pungent flavour and distinctive white skin and flesh, white onions are increasingly popular.

Uses: Ideal for serving raw in salads or cooked they are very versatile.



Yellow onions

These are the most commonly used onions and they have a golden brown skin. They have a pungent aroma, a strong flavour and are a good all-round onion.

Seasonal availability: All year.

Uses: In a wide variety of dishes from casseroles, pies and quiches to stir-fries, sauces and pizzas.

To store: Keep in a dark, airy place.

To prepare: Cut the neck and base away, then score down the side of the onion and remove the skin and first layer of flesh. To help hold back the tears during preparation, chill them first for 30 minutes and always remove the root end last. The root contains the largest concentration of sulphuric compounds which make the eyes water.



Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified

Cultured Milk is produced by culturing any of the following milk products alone or in combination: cream, milk partially skimmed milk or skim milk with appropriate characterizing bacteria. The addition of certain characterizing ingredients and lactic-acid producing bacteria may exist.

Pasteurizing milk is designed to do two things; Destruction of certain disease-carrying germs and the prevention of souring milk. These results are obtained by keeping the milk at a temperature of 145 degrees to 150 degrees F for half an hour, at least, and then reducing the temperature to not more than 55 degrees F. Pasteurizing of milk unfortunatly destroys many beneficial nutrients.

Cultured milks are products made by use of special lactic acid bacteria cultures. They fall into two broad categories. Those made by use of lactic acid bacteria which grow well at ambient temperature (25-30°C). Such lactic acid bacteria are known as Mesophilic starter cultures. The other type of cultured dairy product is the one made by use of lactic acid bacteria which grow well under warm conditions (38 - 45(C) The lactic acid bacteria used are technically known as Thermophilic starter cultures. Yoghurt or yoghurt like products belong to this group.

Cultured milk products have been enjoyed in the Middle East, Europe, and parts of Asia for centuries. The Greeks felt that yogurt had therapeutic qualities for diseases caused by intestinal disorders. Bulgarians attribute their good health and longevity in part to their daily intake of cultured milk products.



The most common of the cultured milk products are yogurt, kefir, piima, buttermilk, and quark or cottage cheese.



Yogurt is simply milk thickened to a custard consistency by certain acid-forming bacteria growing in it. The special bacteria that turn milk into yogurt are lactobacillus bulgaricus, lactobacillus acidophilus, and streptococcus thermophilus. The coagulation and the fermentation of milk sugar into lactic acid is caused by these bacteria. This action curdles the protein in yogurt and acts as a preservative.



The bacteria in yogurt have already begun to break down the protein molecules into lactic acid, making it easy for the body to assimilate. Thus yogurt is helpful for people who have lactose intolerance, because they lack an enzyme that helps to digest milk sugar in regular milk. Yogurt helps the digestion process to move along smoothly and quickly.



In the Near East, babies are frequently fed yogurt for two or three months after they are weaned. Breast fed babies receive bacillus bifidus, a bacteria similar to lactobacillus bulgaricus found in yogurt.

Salt is one of the most ubiquitous food ingredients around. Those who think of salt only as something used to perk up flavor might wonder what could possibly give this ingredient the level of importance it has gained through the ages. In reality, there is much more to this crystalline cube than first meets the eye.



Besides enhancing taste, salt has several other functions in food products. It acts as an antimicrobial or microbiological control agent. It contributes to certain chemical reactions that create a wide variety of food characteristics.



Sometimes the terms "salt" and "sodium" are used interchangeably, but technically this is not correct. "Salt" is sodium chloride. By weight, it is 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride.

Most foods and tap water contain sodium and chloride. Sodium is an essential nutrient, a mineral that the body cannot manufacture itself.

Because of sodium's importance to your body, the excretory and nervous systems guard against under-consumption of salt, which is a threat to your body's nerves and muscles. Other ions such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium are also very important. Concentrations of these ions are held in narrow ranges by the kidney.



The association between eating salt and the risk of blood pressure increasing is difficult to quantify. Some people are sensitive to changes in salt intake whereas others can adjust so that blood pressure does not rise at all.



Americans typically consume 4,000-8,000 mg each day, well above their daily needs. A goal for moderation for all adults, (including pregnancy and lactation) is approximately 2,400 mg of sodium per day.

Natural food enzymes that, when taken with gassy foods, help reduce flatulence-sometimes even stopping it before it begins. Gas-producing foods like beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, grains and onions cause trouble because they contain hard- or impossible-to-digest complex sugars (see CARBOHYDRATE) that ferment in the large intestine. Digestive enzymes help break down these complex sugars into simple sugars that are more easily digestible.



Proteins produced by the cells that are crucial in chemical reactions and in building up or synthesizing most compounds in the body. Each enzyme has a specific function. The two classes of enzymes are metabolic and digestive. Metabolic enzymes catalyze the many chemical reactions in the body. Digestive enzymes are responsible for breaking down food into smaller absorbable units. There are specific enzymes that break down protein, fat and carbohydrate; these are protease, amylase and lipase respectively.

Color(s) Artificial

Artificial coloring can include any additives used to produce a desired color. Blue 1 and 2, Orange B, Green 3, Red 3 and 40, Yellow 5 and 6, etc. are examples of artificial coloring employed in food today. Artificial dyes were originally developed from coal tar, but are now made from petroleum products. The consumption of artificial dyes has been thought to increase hyperactivity in children. The Federal Drug Administration tests whether these additives are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) or toxic. All dyes are considered additives by the FDA through the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) since it is not used for the purpose of consumption, but to improve the appearance of the product. Manufacturers intend to use artificial coloring to make the food seem more appealing and healthier than it actually is.

"Electronic Code of Federal Regulations." GPO Home Page. Title 21. Part 74, 12 May 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Harris, Gardiner. "F.D.A. Panel to Consider Warnings for Artificial Food Colorings." The New York Times. 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Zwillich, Todd. "FDA Mulls Safety of Artificial Food Coloring." WebMD Children's Health Center - Kids Health and Safety Information for a Healthy Child. 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 16 May 2011. .

The fields of application of pure potato starch and its derivatives are extremely wide and varied. The products are used e.g. as binders, thickeners, stabilisers, fillers etc. in food products, potato starch = potato flour = potato starch flour = katakuriko Notes: This gluten-free gravies. Its main advantage over other starch thickeners is that it's a permitted ingredient for Passover, unlike cornstarch starch is used to thicken soups and and other grain-based foods.



Because potatoes are eaten so frequently they are very significant nutritionally. Potatoes are a good source of vitamin C, potassium and fibre and contain some magnesium. They are high in starch so will stop you feeling hungry for a long time. There is a special fibre in potato skin that helps to protect against some cancers, so to get the most goodness from your potato, leave the skin on. Potatoes contain anti–oxidants which research shows are able to inhibit the development of some cancers. In addition to this, anti–oxidants also decrease your risk of heart disease.



Potatoes are not fattening, however some cooking and preparation methods are! Sometimes potatoes have had a pretty bad reputation for being fattening, but it isn't the potatoes fault it is what we do to it.

Powdered Cellulose is pure insoluble dietary fiber. Powdered cellulose is traditionally used as a fiber ingredient for increasing the fiber content of formulated foods and also for reducing their caloric content.



source: www.hc-sc.gc.ca

Natamycin (Pimaricin) is an antifungal which can be used as antibiotic to treat some types of fungus infections of the eye. Natamycin is also an antimyotic food additive used to protect food from mold and yeast growth.

This popular CHEESE originated in the village of Cheddar in the Somerset region of England. It's a firm, cow's-milk cheese that ranges in flavor from mild to sharp, and in color from natural white to pumpkin orange. Orange cheddars are colored with a natural dye called ANNATTO. Cheddar is used for out of hand eating, as well as in a panoply of cooked dishes including casseroles, sauces, soups and so on.



the fat content of cheeses, check the label for a percentage, followed by the letters M.F. (milk fat). With cheddars, the milk fat content is usually 31% M.F. Low Fat natural cheddars are usually 20% M.F.



Cheddar Cheese is a nutritious and excellent source of calcium, amino acids, and vitamins C, D and E.