Catering Wps Office

CATERING
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Fruits are plant materials from the flowers of a
plant. In a meal, they are usually taken at the
end as a dessert. Vegetables, on the other hand,
are also edible plant materials but are cooked in
the form of leaves, stalks, tubers, bulbs, roots,
pods, or seeds. They may be eaten served with
the main course of the meal or as a salad
Flavor Components in Fruits and Vegetables
1. Sugar
Fructose, the natural sugar found in plants, provide the sweetish flavor in
fruits and vegetables. The fructose content of plants increases as the fruit
ripens
2. Glutamic acid
Glutamic acid is found in young and fresh vegetables in large
amounts When combined with salt, glutamic acid forms a product
called monosodium glutamate. This explains why it is no longer
necessary to add MSG or vetsin to vegetable dishes using fresh
vegetables
3. Acids
Fruits and vegetables contain acids that contribute to their
nutritional value
4. Sulfur Compounds
Sulfur compounds give the characteristic strong flavor and odor of
some types of vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables contain acids that contribute to their nutritional value
5. Tannins and Phenolic Compounds

The astringent flavor (mapakla) in some vegetables and fruits such as
santol and guava may be attributed to tannins and phenolic compounds.
These do not disappear in plants over time but merely become soluble
Textural Considerations in Fruits and Vegetables:
1. Exposure to extreme pH levels affects the texture of fruits and vegetables.
Acid medium
The presence of acids retards the softening of the cellulose thus significantly
increasing the time required for tenderizing the vegetable.
Alkaline medium
Aside from destroying water-soluble vitamins, an alkaline medium makes the
structure of vegetables and fruits lose its integrity, thus becoming mushy or soft
2. Starch takes up moisture and swells.
Starchy produce such as yams and
potatoes absorb water and swell during
cooking. They attain a soft texture when
cooked
Color Components
1. Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a fat soluble compound responsible for the green color of

plants. With acid, it forms pheophytin which produces a characteristic
olive green color. Overcooking and the addition of acids cause
pheophytin formation.
With alkali, it forms chlorophyllins which produces a more intense

green color.
2. Carotenoids
Two of the more well-known carotenoids are betacarotene, a Vitamin A precursor

found in carrot and squash, and lycopene which is present in tomatoes.
3. Flavonoids
Anthoxanthin
Responsible for the yellow pigments dissolved in plant cell sap is the antoxanthin.
Antoxanthin forms a yellow color when combined with alkali and turns colorless when
combined with acid
Anthocyanins
These are responsible for the red and blue to violet pigments in plants Plants containing
anthocyanins include beets, ube, and eggplant. With acid, they form an intense red color
With alkali, they produce a blue, green, or purple color
4. Tannins
Tannins are often associated with the characteristics of santol, tea and coffee Though not
actually pigments, they are listed down as such since they affect the color of fruits and
vegetables. Tannins are responsible for the bitter taste in the skin of some fruits and in
steeped coffee or tea. Combining tannins with acids results in a clarified solution. With
alkali, tannins become dark in color. With ferric salts, they turn into blackish blue or
blackish green
Enzymatic Browning
It is the development of undesirable brown or
bluish black color upon exposure to air due to
the enzymes phenolase, polyphenolase,
polyphenol oxidase and oxygen. For enzymatic
browning to occur, the fruits or vegetables must
have the phenolic substances which, upon
exposure to aiz, is oxidized.
Prevention of Enzymatic Browning
Enzymatic browning may be prevented in several ways:
1. By cooking fruits and vegetables.
2. By submerging cut-up vegetables or fruits in table salt
solutions or by excluding oxygen.
3. By adding weak acids such as calamansi, lemon or lime juice
to cut-up apples or bananas
D
4. By submerging cut-up fruits and vegetables in water-sugar
solutions
Importance of selection
The aesthetic, textural, and palatal quality of the finished product

largely depends on the quality of the raw material. Hence, it is
important to begin with products of superior quality. One must be able
to evaluate the raw materials to determine their quality
Selection Process
The following should be considered when selecting fruits and vegetables: The type of
vegetable to be purchased.
One should make sure that the items to be purchased are appropriate for the dish to be
prepared. Fruits and vegetables are available in the following market forms:
Desirable/ideal qualities of the vegetables / fruits to be bought.
Desirable physical characteristics like color, texture, and

shape vary from one item to another. Select fruit and
vegetables with characteristics appropriate to their type.
Availability and seasonability of the fruits and vegetables to be
purchased
Aside from being economical, inuits and vegetables are at their baut when
in season
Mangoes are cheaper and of excellent quality from the month of April to
June
Price
Fruits and vegetables in season are most likely to be
cheaper than those out of season.The same holds true for
locally grown produce since these incur lower transport
costs than those which come from distant localities
Storage capacity
Since fresh produce have high perishability,

availability of ample storage facilities is
important. A basic rule in the purchasing of
fruits and vegetables is to buy only that which
can be properly stored. This minimizes spoilage
which could lead to losses.
Factors to consider in relation to quality and use of fresh vegetables:
Freshness
Indications of freshness vary among fruits and vegetables Generally,
freshness in vegetables and fruits is characterized by crispness and a bright
color. In succulent fruits, freshness is indicated by plumpness. Shriveled and
dry green, leafy vegetables should no longer be purchased
Absence of decay or insect infestation
Choose vegetables without signs of insect infestation Fruits
should be firm and smooth Decayed and overripe produce must
be avoided.
Lack of mechanical damage or injury
When selecting fruits and vegetables, choose those which are free of molds,
bruises, blemishes, and pest damage. Once the item is purchased, it should be
handled with care for the product to retain its integrity
Right degree of maturity
Purchasers should be familiar with the degrees of maturity of fresh produce
to be assured that the fruits and vegetables are at their best when bought
Variety
Fruits and vegetables are classified according to variety Different
varieties differ in color, shape, texture and sometimes, flavor.
Good weight in relation to size
Weight, rather than size, should be the basis when selecting fruits and
vegetables. Heavier iterns are much better than lighter
Preparation of vegetables
1. Wash vegetables carefully under cool, running water
2. For maximum retention of nutrients, peel and slice vegetables just before cooking.
Soaking vegetables in water is not advisable as it could result in nutrient loss.
3. Thoroughly inspect and remove biernishes
4. Adjust the preliminary preparation like trimming and cutting according to the variety and
use of the vegetable.
5. Cook vegetables only for a short time. Vegetables taste best when they are cooked tender
crisp
6. Serve vegetables as soon as they are cooked for appeal and nutrient retention.
Guidelines in vegetable cookery
1. Cook vegetables just until slightly crisp and tender. Do not overcook green, leafy
vegetables to preserve their green color.
2. Cook the vegetables in minimal water to avoid excessive nutrient loss.
3. When cooking vegetables with meat, add the vegetables after the meat becomes
tender.
4. Save the cooking liquid of vegetables so that it may be reused for stocks, sauces, and
gravies.
5. Allow the starches of starchy vegetables such as potatoes to gelatinize by cooking
them long enough.
6. For best results, cook frozen vegetables according to package directions.
Effects of cooking vegetables
Effects of cooking vegetables

The effects of cooking vegetables are as follows
1. It softens cellulose
2. It alters/ improves flavor
3. It improve digestavility.
4. It gelatinizes the starch.
Quiz
1.Purchasers should be familiar with the degrees of maturity of fresh produce to be
assured that the fruits and vegetables are at their best when bought
a.Variety
b.Right degree of maturity
C.Lack of mechanical damage or injury
d.Good weight in relation to size
2. It give the characteristic strong flavor and odor of some types of vegetables.
a. Sugar
b.Glutamic acid
c.Tannins and Phenolic Compounds
d.Sulfur Compounds
Quiz
3. The astringent flavor (mapakla) in some vegetables and fruits such as
santol and guava may be attributed to tannins and phenolic
compounds___________________.
a. Sugar
b.Glutamic acid
c.Tannins and Phenolic Compounds
d.Sulfur Compounds
Quiz
4.It is a fat soluble compound responsible for the green color of plants.
a.Chlorophyll
b.Acid medium
c.Glutamic Acid
d.Alkaline medium
5.These are responsible for the red and blue to violet pigments in plants
a.Anthocyanins
b.Acid medium
c.Glutamic Acid
d.Anthoxanthin
ANSWERS
1.b
2.d
3.c
4.a
5.a
THANK
S
HELLO SUMMER

Catering Wps Office

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CATERING

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

5. Tannins and Phenolic Compounds

Chlorophyll is a fat soluble compound responsible for the green color of

With alkali, it forms chlorophyllins which produces a more intense

Two of the more well-known carotenoids are betacarotene, a Vitamin A precursor

The aesthetic, textural, and palatal quality of the finished product

Desirable physical characteristics like color, texture, and

Since fresh produce have high perishability,

Effects of cooking vegetables

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