By: Marissa Coelho
Hospitality refers to the act of making one feel welcome; so the goal of the hospitality industry is to provide the customers and guests with an enjoyable experience. Sometimes, that enjoyment comes through a delectable meal. In this instance, the aim of hospitality would be to provide quality food that is exceptional and is in itself an experience.
In order to provide unique experiences through food, a keen understanding of the biology, chemistry, and physics of food is essential to enable the chef to experiment with unusual flavour combinations, textures, temperatures, and cooking techniques. To be able to offer consumer quality cuisine, basic knowledge of food science and its applications is necessary for serving flavourful, attractive, and nutritious food that is wholesome and at the same time conforming with quality standards.
Food Science is the scientific study of food, its aspects, and how its quality can be improved through science and technology. Every culinarian should be aware of the composition, structure, and rheology of food and the changes that take place during cooking, handling, and storage, as well as, what happens to the food once it is consumed. Various processes are used to convert bulky, perishable, and sometimes inedible foods into more useful, concentrated, shelf-stable and palatable foods or potable beverages. Professionals in the food processing industry have to be mindful of the general characteristics of raw food materials, principles of food preservation, processing factors that influence the quality, shelf-life, good manufacturing practices, hygiene and sanitation procedures, and waste management.
Food is a mixture of many different biochemical components such as carbohydrates, fats, protein, and water. The study of food science, therefore, involves an understanding of the changes that occur in these components from the date of production to consumption and this can go a long way in planning, designing, and developing extraordinary recipes based on consumer demands. This will ensure that guests visit time and again because of their gastronomical satisfaction and the salubrious hospitality extended to them. Hence, one can clearly and without a doubt say that food science and hospitality go hand in hand. Thus, food science is the backbone of any successful hospitality venture.
The author, Marissa Coelho V.F – Microbiology (Food Science) at V. M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE). The institute offers a BSc and MSc programme in hospitality as well as a BSc Culinary Arts Programme.
