Glossary of food & beverage ingredient terms
H
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Heat stability |
The stability of a particular product property when the product is exposed to long or short term storage under hot conditions. Examples include the viscosity of starch paste or the color of glucose syrup. |
| High amylose starch |
A genetic variety of starch containing over 50% amylose. Current commercial varieties contain 55%, 70% and 80% amylose. High amylose starch is highly crystalline and requires special techniques to achieve full gelatinization. |
| High fructose corn syrup [HFCS] |
A special type of glucose syrup containing high levels of fructose. HFCS is produced by enzymatic conversion of starch to glucose followed by conversion of some of the dextrose to fructose using the enzyme isomerase. |
| Humectancy |
Ability of a substance to hold into moisture. Increased humectancy prevents staling in baked products and provides foods with soft, moist eating quality. |
| Hydration |
the process of the starch granule taking up and binding water as it swealls when heated in water. |
| Hydrogenation |
The chemical transformation of reducing sugars into the analagous polyol. For example transforming dextrose into sorbitol. |
| Hydrophobic starch |
Starch which has been chemically modified to give a hydrophobic character. An example is the ester starch n-Octenyl Succinate made by treating starch with n-Octenyl Succinic anhydride. This is used as a food starch e.g. for emulsion stabilization. |
| Hygroscopicity |
Ability of a substance to absorb and react with moisture from ambient air. |