Тема 8: cereals and cereal products

Active Vocabulary:

cereals, grain, germ, embryo, endosperm; covering (shell, skin), abundant, abundancy; uniform, uniformly, uniformity; nutritive value; deficient, deficiency; to make up (to build up, to compose, to constitute); to influence/to affect; to reflect; to indicate, to predict, to believe, to belong, to feel, to found, to find; concern; term; to derive

From earliest time grain has been man’s chief means of life.

So important was its production that the ancient peoples of many lands believed that the protection of grain was the primary concern of one of the most powerful goddesses. From the name Ceres¹, given by the Romans to the goddess who was the protectress of grain, the term cereals, now so widely used, was derived.

The term cereals includes the plants of the grass family which are used as food. Wheat, rye, oats, barley, rice, corn (maize) and millet belong to this class, and buckwheat although not grass is here considered. The grain consists of the germ, and the endosperm with its coverings, which are the parts most utilized for human food.

The importance of the foods included, in this group is indicated by the part cereals have played and continue to play in world affairs. According to both myth and history the earlier civilizations were founded upon the growing of cereals and since that time the influence of cereal production has been constantly felt. The influence of cereals in world history is a reflection of their importance in the daily life of people.

Nutritive value. Cereals are excellent sources of energy. Starch, the valuable energy food, makes up three fourths of any cereal. Protein, the tissue-building food, although less abundant is present in significant amounts, composing about one eighth of the grain. The fat found in the grain, which varies in amount from 1/100 to 4/100 parts, is present mostly in the germ or embryo. This part, together with the outer covering, also contains the greater portion of the minerals and vitamins of the grain. The phosphorus content of the whole grains is relatively high, but the calcium is uniformly low. The amount of iron varies widely. Grains contain a generous amount of thiamine but are relatively less rich in riboflavin. The germ of wheat is an abundant source of vitamin E. Cereals in general are deficient in vitamin A.

1 – Церера

Тема 9: variety of foods in our diet

Active Vocabulary:

to elaborate, elaboration; developments; manufacturing, processing, packaging, delivering, storing; preservation, preserves; shelf-life; to extend; to prolong; to displace; effort; advanced; counterpart; convenient; cooking; to supplement; to enjoy popularity

Notes:

counterpart – дубликат, двойник, копия;

controlled and modified atmosphere packaging – вакуумная упаковка

wholly formulated products – продукты с заранее заложенными качествами

dietary (dietetic) bread – диетический хлеб

fat-free milk products – обезжиренные молочные продукты

quick-serve products – продукты быстрого приготовления

semi-product – полуфабрикат

pre-cooked foods – продукты, подвергнутые предварительной кулинарной обработке (варке и др.)

instant – быстрорастворимый

instant noodle snacks – лапша быстрого приготовления

quick-cooking pasta – макароны быстрой варки

ready-to-eat (ready-prepared) snacks – завтрак, готовый к употреблению

potato crisps – хрустящий картофель

crisp rice – хрустящий рис

extrusion – экструзия; формование выпрессовыванием

puffing – взрывание

puffed products – воздушный/взорванный/зерновой продукт

Nowadays, there is a great variety of foods due to the advanced technology developed all over the world. Therefore scientific and engineering developments in the food industry are mainly aimed at the elaboration of different efficient methods of food manufacturing, processing, packaging and delivering.

One more problem, however, is storing. The problem of extending the shelf-life of processed foods is extremely significant. Much attention is being paid to food preservation in order to keep good quality and nutritive value. Manufacturers can already apply controlled and modified atmosphere packaging, ionising radiation, cold sterilization and other methods. Thanks to these methods, new materials and equipment for packaging the foodstuffs for prolonged storage have appeared: vegetable and meat preserves, sauces, mayonnaises, dry confectionary mixes, pasta products, etc.

As a result of the efforts of food manufacturers it has also become possible to displace the so-called traditional foods by frozen counterparts – frozen cake dough, frozen vegetables and fruit, frozen yeast, and many others.

Now, food manufacturers can supply people with wholly formulated products. As an example, first came flour, then cake mix, then ready-to-eat cakes. Another aspect of food manufacturing is the production of purpose-oriented foods: dietary bread or fat-free milk products.

Then, it is necessary to mention quick-serve products including semiproducts and pre-cooked foods that help to shorten the period of cooking and make the process more convenient. This group of foods includes instant soups, coffee and juices as well as quick-cooking pasta, instant noodle snacks, etc.

At last, it is impossible not to say about ready-to-eat (ready-prepared) snacks, potato crisps, crisps rice and, first of all, cereal breakfasts. Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals can be made through the use of extrusion or puffing. Usually wheat and rice are mostly used as raw material.

One can see that all these kinds of foods enjoy great popularity with the people of different age as they greatly supplement their diet and make easier the process of cooking.