Deck 1: Food Selection

Question 1

List the five taste stimuli and the proposed mechanism of taste for each.

Answer 1

The taste of the food can be experienced by the taste buds on the tongue. The food dissolved in the saliva of mouth is in contact with gustatory cells that send a message to the brain through cranial nerves. The electrical impulse generated by the nerves gives the sensation of taste.
There are five types of taste stimuli. They are sweet, sour, biter, salty and savory or umami. The savory taste is found in some amino acids. The sweet and sour tastes are experienced by tip of the tongue. The salty taste is sensed by sides of the tongue and the bitter taste by the back of the tongue.
The sugar taste of the food is due to the chemical structure of molecules present in the food such as aldehydes, glycols, alcohols etc.. The mechanism of sweet taste and its receptor is not well known.
The sour taste corresponds to the presence of acids in the food and the hydrogen ion (H + ) concentration. The acids are found in many fruits, vinegar and few vegetables.
Bitterness is found in beverages like tea, coffee, chocolate (theobromine) and grape fruits containing phenolic compounds. Bitterness can act as alarming system to avoid the consumption of toxic and poisonous compounds. Several compounds of plant origin like alkaloids are bitter to taste.
Salt taste of foods is due to presence of sodium (Na + ) or sodium chloride (NaCl). The sides of the tongue experience the salty taste of the foods.
Umami or savory taste of the foods is due to presence of certain amino acids like Glutamate. Some individuals can detect the monosodium glutamate (MSG) in foods due to its savory taste produced by glutamate.

Question 2

The definition of flavor is best described as:

A) taste.
B) taste and mouthfeel.
C) taste and odor.
D) taste, odor, and mouthfeel.

Answer 2

The word ' flavor ' can be best described as the taste, flavor and odor. The odor of the food attracts the individual towards food and also provides idea of the taste. As we know that when we eat cold food, it does not have any odor and thus no taste while when we eat hot food, it has odor as well as taste. The explanation for the parts is as follows:
(a)Taste: The taste does describe the word flavor but not alone. Thus, this option is incorrect.
(b)Taste and mouth feel: The taste and mouth feel of food describes very much about flavor but without odor these cannot describe flavor. Thus, this option is also incorrect.
(c)Taste and odor: The taste and odor of food describes very much about flavor but mouth-feel is also involved in describing flavor. Thus, this option is also incorrect.
(d)Taste, odor and mouth feel: The taste, odor and mouth feel can collectively describe the word 'flavor'. Thus, this option is correct.

Question 3

Why is the odor of just-baked bread more intense than the odor of cold foods such as ice cream?

Answer 3

Odor is an important character to analyze the food and experiencing its taste. The smell of the food makes mouth watery feeling to enjoy the food. The odor of the foods can be detected at low concentrations. Heating the foods make the odors spread as volatile compounds in the air.
The foods containing large molecules such as proteins, starches and fats are too heavy and cannot spread the odors through air. Thus, odor of the foods containing such heavy molecules cannot be noticed immediately.
The odors are detected by the olfactory epithelium of the nasal cavity directly through the nose or after entering the food into the mouth the odors flow retro nasally.
Hence, the odors of the just baked bread can be detected readily with much intense as the volatile compounds spread into air quickly than the odor of cold foods like ice creams.

Question 4

Which of the following religions encourage(s) a vegetarian diet?

A) Buddhism
B) Hinduism
C) Seventh-Day Adventist
D) All of these

Question 5

Give two examples of taste interactions.

Question 6

Identify the correct statement about genetically modified foods.

A) Genes are programmed by sequencing the amino acids.
B) Food can be genetically modified to delay ripening.
C) In the United States, all genetically modified foods must be labeled.
D) Not a single genetically modified food has been approved by the FDA.

Question 7

How does taste differ from flavor?

Question 8

Which of the following functional food examples is categorized as a medical food?

A) Tomatoes rich in lycopene
B) Gluten-free foods
C) Folate-enriched breads
D) Phenylketonuria (PKU) formulas free of phenylalanine

Question 9

Obesity is a rising problem. Discuss the basics of the energy balance equation.

Question 10

How many kcalories equal a pound of body weight?

A) 500
B) 1,000
C) 2,500
D) 3,500

Question 11

List four categories of functional foods as defined by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Question 12

A produce grower may place the USDA Organic label on a product if or more of the ingredients are organic.

A) 50%
B) 75%
C) 85%
D) 95%

Question 13

Discuss three examples of cultural influences on food intake.

Question 14

Discuss the possible influences that religions such as Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam may have on food intake.

Question 15

Describe the process of biotechnology. Discuss the pros and cons of this process.

Question 16

The word olfactory is most closely related to which of the following senses?

A) Taste
B) Smell
C) Touch
D) Sight

Question 17

Describe the four categories of organic food and the labeling allowed for each category.