A-Z: Hydrogenation

What is Hydrogenation (1)?
Hydrogenation is the process of adding hydrogen to a substance. In the food industry this is done to make fats more stable and avoid rancidity (or the off-flavor that comes from bad oil). There are different levels to which this can be done.

Partial Hydrogenation: Some but not all of the chemical bonds receive hydrogen resulting in an altered structure called trans, thus the name trans-fats. These fats have a longer shelf-life and improve the overall stability of packaged products.

Full Hydrogenation: All of the chemical bonds receive hydrogen resulting in a fully saturated structure. These products are more stable than the original oil form, but not as stable as their partially hydrogenated counterparts.

Hydrogenation and Health:
Partially hydrogenated fats, or trans fats have been linked to increased LDL cholesterol which increases risk of cardiovascular disease. A food may have 0g trans fat listed but under the ingredients have "Partially Hydrogenated Oil" listed, this indicates that the product contains <0.5g trans fat per serving (1).

Now as indicated in the Beta Carotene post, it is important to consume dietary fat. It's essential for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, K. Recommendations are to consume unsaturated fats and some saturated fats. 

References:
1. Talking About Trans Fat: What You Need to Know. FDA. 2015.

A-Z: Food Science

What is Food Science?
Food science is simply that, the science relating to food. Nutrition and food science are very closely related, as is culinary science. From when a food is harvested, transported, processed (cooked, cut, mixed, frozen, etc), packaged, transported to the store, and even consumer food preparation safety. Food science also includes creating new food products for consumers.

Massive cinnamon sticks on display by an ingredient vendor

Food Science Conference
IFT (Institute of Food Technologists) is the professional organization for food science. At their annual meeting there are educational sessions, research presentations, cooking demonstrations, and an expo featuring the latest innovations related to food products and processing.

A view of one portion of the IFT Expo floor.

This year the conference was in Chicago, IL and I was able to attend for one day. I attended a session on the impact of low-calorie sweeteners on gut bacteria, interacted with vendors at the expo, learned about the latest research from graduate students and other professionals, attended a cooking demonstration and the Illinois reception.

Pizza in the flavor of a Chicago style hot-dog

It was interesting to learn about the latest innovations in a neighbor field and brainstorm links to future research projects and collaborations.

Dark chocolate almond popcorn ball made in a cooking demonstration