Many of the sciences serve as a foundation or basis for food prepara-
tion. Inorganic, organic, physical, and plant chemistry, as well as physics
and other sciences, are necessary for an adequate understanding of many
processes in food preparation. But the subject matter herein covered is
perhaps more closely related to physical chemistry and the branch of
physical chemistry known as colloid chemistry. In fact, so many of the
ingredients used in food preparation are colloidal in nature that food
preparation may be classed as one field of applied colloid chemistry. As
a phase of colloid chemistry it offers a vast field for exploration, for
although commercially prepared foods have been studied extensively the
problems in connection with their preparation are far from completed.
Work along other lines of cookery has hardly started. Some of the older
work on cookery needs to be repeated and explained in the light of newer
interpretations of science.
Because the majority of home economics students have had no oppor-
tunity to take even an elementary course in physical or colloid chemistry,
it becomes necessary to present a simple outline and explanation of col-
loid chemistry in its relation to food preparation. Since this is the founda-
tion material for this treatise it seems logical to present it first. But to
many persons this is the newest and perhaps the most difficult subject
matter in relation to food preparation. Therefore, it is probably better for
the student to commence with the chapters on sugar cookery, freezing, and
fruits and vegetables, referring only to the few paragraphs in Chapter I
needed to understand some of the factors of sugar cookery and freezing.
A fundamental understanding of sugar cookery and freezing preparation
processes is based largely upon the portion of physical chemistry dealing
with solutions, vapor pressure, the boiling point, and the freezing point.
This material is outlined in these chapters. But to present the material
on colloid chemistry in such a manner in every chapter would lead to
many repetitions and make the book unduly long. Hence this material is
summarized in Chapter I, although the author realized that it would prob-
ably be necessary to review or to present portions of this chapter in connec-
tion with subsequent ones.
X INTRODUCTION
Many contradictory observations are often made in cookery. This is
to be expected, particularly when the materials used are in a colloidal
state. Unless the constituents of food products are present in the same
amount, and, even if present in the same proportion, if the colloidal
particles are not the same size, if the previous treatment, including the
thermal and mechanical treatment and the time element, is not exactly
duplicated, then even an elementary knowledge of colloid chemistry leads
one to expect different results in finished products, because of variation
of these different factors. It is not possible to control all these factors. For
instance, the variation in ash content of flour, eggs, milk, meat, fruits, and
vegetables is nearly always beyond our control. But the necessity for a
detailed description of the technic and method followed in reporting
results is obvious. Detailed directions in writing the laboratory outline
are essential or the technics followed may vary so much that the results
are worthless for comparisons.
Page 1
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Many of the sciences serve as a foundation or basis for food prepara-
tion. Inorganic, organic, physical, and plant chemistry, as well as physics
and other sciences, are necessary for an adequate understanding of many
processes in food preparation. But the subject matter herein covered is
perhaps more closely related to physical chemistry and the branch of
physical chemistry known as colloid chemistry. In fact, so many of the
ingredients used in food preparation are colloidal in nature that food
preparation may be classed as one field of applied colloid chemistry. As
a phase of colloid chemistry it offers a vast field for exploration, for
although commercially prepared foods have been studied extensively the
problems in connection with their preparation are far from completed.
Work along other lines of cookery has hardly started. Some of the older
work on cookery needs to be repeated and explained in the light of newer
interpretations of science.
Because the majority of home economics students have had no oppor-
tunity to take even an elementary course in physical or colloid chemistry,
it becomes necessary to present a simple outline and explanation of col-
loid chemistry in its relation to food preparation. Since this is the founda-
tion material for this treatise it seems logical to present it first. But to
many persons this is the newest and perhaps the most difficult subject
matter in relation to food preparation. Therefore, it is probably better for
the student to commence with the chapters on sugar cookery, freezing, and
fruits and vegetables, referring only to the few paragraphs in Chapter I
needed to understand some of the factors of sugar cookery and freezing.
A fundamental understanding of sugar cookery and freezing preparation
processes is based largely upon the portion of physical chemistry dealing
with solutions, vapor pressure, the boiling point, and the freezing point.
This material is outlined in these chapters. But to present the material
on colloid chemistry in such a manner in every chapter would lead to
many repetitions and make the book unduly long. Hence this material is
summarized in Chapter I, although the author realized that it would prob-
ably be necessary to review or to present portions of this chapter in connec-
tion with subsequent ones.
X INTRODUCTION
Many contradictory observations are often made in cookery. This is
to be expected, particularly when the materials used are in a colloidal
state. Unless the constituents of food products are present in the same
amount, and, even if present in the same proportion, if the colloidal
particles are not the same size, if the previous treatment, including the
thermal and mechanical treatment and the time element, is not exactly
duplicated, then even an elementary knowledge of colloid chemistry leads
one to expect different results in finished products, because of variation
of these different factors. It is not possible to control all these factors. For
instance, the variation in ash content of flour, eggs, milk, meat, fruits, and
vegetables is nearly always beyond our control. But the necessity for a
detailed description of the technic and method followed in reporting
results is obvious. Detailed directions in writing the laboratory outline
are essential or the technics followed may vary so much that the results
are worthless for comparisons.