Tamil Nadu HSE First Year Food Service Management flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Maillard reaction

Browning reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that occurs above about 140 °C, producing brown colour and savoury flavour in toasted bread, roasted coffee and fried foods.

Gelatinisation

Process in which starch granules heated in water absorb moisture, swell and burst, releasing amylose that thickens the liquid, as when cooking rice or making custard.

Retrogradation

Re-association of starch molecules on cooling after gelatinisation, making cooked rice or bread firm and stale; it is slowed by fat or sugar and reversed by reheating.

Emulsion

Dispersion of one liquid in another with which it cannot mix, held together by an emulsifier; mayonnaise is oil droplets dispersed in vinegar, stabilised by egg-yolk lecithin.

Balanced diet

Diet supplying all nutrients in correct proportions to meet energy and nutrient needs, with roughly 55–65% of energy from carbohydrate, 20–30% from fat and 10–15% from protein.

Limiting amino acid

Essential amino acid present in the lowest quantity in a protein, restricting its overall use; lysine limits cereals and methionine limits pulses, so cereal–pulse combinations give complete protein.

Body mass index

Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared; 18.5–24.9 is normal, below 18.5 underweight, 25–29.9 overweight and 30 or above obese.

Pellagra

Disease caused by niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency, marked by dermatitis, diarrhoea and dementia, and historically seen where maize is the staple food.

Mother sauces

Five foundation sauces of classical cuisine - béchamel, velouté, espagnole, tomato and hollandaise - from which derived sauces are made by adding stocks, cream or seasonings.

Roux

Thickening mixture of equal weights of flour and fat cooked together; white roux is cooked briefly, while blond and brown roux are cooked longer for darker colour and nuttier flavour.

Mise en place

French term meaning 'putting in place': all ingredients are measured, cut and arranged and all equipment is ready before cooking starts, so service runs smoothly.

Braising

Combination cooking method in which food is first browned in fat, then cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid in a covered vessel until tender, yielding a flavourful sauce.

Gluten

Elastic protein network formed when glutenin and gliadin in wheat flour are hydrated and kneaded; it gives bread structure and chew and traps gases from fermentation.

Creaming method

Cake-making technique of beating fat with sugar until pale and fluffy, adding eggs gradually and folding in flour, producing a light batter for butter cakes.

Soft ball stage

Sugar syrup boiled to 113–116 °C, at which a drop placed in cold water forms a soft ball; used for fondant, fudge and praline confections.

Royal icing

Hard-setting icing made from lightly beaten egg white and finely sieved icing sugar, used for piping decorations, writing on cakes and joining gingerbread structures.

Danger zone

Temperature range of roughly 5 °C to 60 °C in which food-borne bacteria multiply rapidly; hot food is therefore held above 60 °C and cold food below 5 °C.

HACCP

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system: seven principles that identify biological, chemical and physical hazards, set control points and critical limits, and record monitoring for verification.

Cross-contamination

Transfer of harmful microorganisms from raw food, hands, surfaces or equipment to cooked or ready-to-eat food, prevented by separate boards, utensils and frequent hand washing.

Clostridium botulinum

Anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that grows in improperly canned or vacuum-packed low-acid foods and produces a heat-labile neurotoxin causing potentially fatal paralysis.

Cook-chill system

Production method in which cooked food is blast chilled to 3 °C within 90 minutes, stored at 0–3 °C for up to five days, then regenerated to 70 °C before service.

Cover

One place setting at a table, comprising napkin, cutlery, crockery and glassware for a single diner; covers per hour measures capacity and seat turnover.

Table d'hôte menu

Fixed menu offering a set multi-course meal at one inclusive price with limited choice per course, unlike an à la carte menu where each item is priced separately.

Garde manger

Cold kitchen section of the brigade responsible for salads, cold meats, pâtés, terrines, aspic and buffet displays, where strict temperature control is essential.

Convection oven

Oven in which a fan circulates heated air around the food, giving faster and more even cooking at lower settings than a still oven and allowing several trays at once.

Work triangle

Short path linking the main work centres of storage, preparation, cooking and washing-up, arranged to minimise walking and avoid crossing between clean and dirty flows.

Stainless steel 18/8

Food-grade steel containing about 18% chromium and 8% nickel, resistant to corrosion and staining, non-reactive with acid foods, and preferred for work tables and cooking vessels.

Preventive maintenance

Planned schedule of cleaning, inspection, lubrication and calibration carried out on equipment at fixed intervals to prevent breakdowns, extend service life and keep machines safe.

Food cost percentage

Cost of food used divided by food sales, multiplied by 100; restaurants typically target 28–35%, and a lower figure means tighter control of purchasing and menu pricing.

Yield percentage

Edible portion weight divided by as-purchased weight, multiplied by 100; it converts as-purchased cost into edible-portion cost when costing a standard recipe.

Break-even point

Sales level at which total revenue equals total cost, calculated as fixed cost divided by contribution margin per unit; sales above this point generate profit.

Menu engineering

Analysis plotting menu items by popularity and contribution margin, sorting them into stars, plough horses, puzzles and dogs to guide pricing, promotion and deletion decisions.