Reasons for cooking food was well attempted. The effect of moist heat on (i) starch and (ii) sugar was poorly answered.
The required answers to the question are as follows:
2(a) Reasons for cooking food
- To make the food attractive and appetizing
- To make it digestible
- To make it palatable
- To soften the fibres/improve the texture
- To destroy harmful micro organisms
- To preserve the food for sometime
- To make it easy to eat/chew
- To improve the flavour
- To provide variety in dishes
2(b) Effect of heat on
(i) Liquid Starch;
- Grain swells and burst
- Liquid becomes thick and translucent
- Starch gelatinizes
(ii) Sugar
- Sugar dissolves
- Liquid thickens and becomes sticky
- Syrup is formed if water is added
- It caramelizes
2(c) Advantages of stewing
- Makes food attractive
- Coagulates protein without being over hardened
- No wastage as the entire content is consumed
- Conserves nutrients
- Tenderises tough foods
- Consumes less fuel as low heat is used
- It enables the flavour of food to be retained
- It creates a unique taste from the blended ingredients