ABSTRACT
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The main components of most foods are water, proteins, saccharides, lipids, fiber, organic acids, and mineral compounds in various proportions. Foods also contain many other minor constituents and additives. These compounds constitute the structural elements of the tissues, serve as energy reserves, and have numerous biochemical functions in living plants and animals. Most food constituents are chemically reactive or at least contain various reactive groups (Table 14.1). In many instances, some of these groups are unavailable for reaction/interaction due to physical barriers. The interactions in foods are controlled by the chemical character of these groups, compartmentation in the internal architecture of the tissues, and by the environmental conditions, such as temperature, pH, ionic strength and type of ions (e.g., polyvalent cations), water activity, oxidation/reduction potential, and viscosity of the fluids. All these factors undergo alterations during postharvest/postmortem handling and storage of the raw materials and as a consequence of processing.
