When to Trigger
Activate this skill when the user mentions:
- Nutritional analysis, macronutrients, micronutrients, dietary reference intakes
- Food chemistry, Maillard reaction, emulsification, gelation
- Food safety, HACCP, critical control points, pathogen analysis
- Sensory evaluation, taste panels, hedonic scales
- Food processing, pasteurization, fermentation, preservation
- Shelf life, water activity, food packaging
- Dietary assessment, food frequency questionnaire, 24-hour recall
Step-by-Step Methodology
- Define the food science question - Specify the food matrix (raw ingredient, processed product, meal). Identify whether the question is about composition, safety, processing, sensory properties, or health effects.
- Nutritional analysis - Query food composition databases (USDA FoodData Central, EFSA). Report per serving and per 100g. Compare against DRIs (Dietary Reference Intakes) or RDAs. Account for bioavailability and cooking losses.
- Food chemistry analysis - Identify key chemical reactions (Maillard browning, lipid oxidation, enzymatic browning, starch gelatinization). Characterize relevant physical chemistry (pH, water activity, emulsion stability, rheology). Relate to quality attributes (color, texture, flavor).