Intro, Safety and MeasurementFCS 17- Lab # 1Jacki Raivo 9/5/11Introduction: To work safely in the food lab and be able to accurately measure ingredientsObjectives: Identify actions that can contaminate foodKnow the physical food safety risksIdentify methods for extinguishing grease firesIdentify most common kitchen accidentsKnow given food termsBe able to describe how to prepare a sanitizing solution using bleach and waterGiven flour, fat, sugar, syrup or water, be able to execute proper measurement proceduresyielding accurate resultsIdentify correct measuring device for liquid and dry ingredients; most efficient choice of measuring unit.Methods: All groups measured a different substance multiple times and took the average of their trials to find the most consistent and accurate form of measurement. Group 1 had all-purpose flour with four trials of measurement. Their trials were to weigh the flour after: dipping measuring cup into the bag, spoon unsifted flour into cup, sift the flour and spoon it into the cupand dip the cup into the sifted flour.Group 2 had hydrogenated fat with two trials of measurement. They first scooped the room temperature fat into the measuring cup and weighed it; second they melted the fat on the stove in a saucepan and poured the melted fat into the measuring cup then weighed it.Group 3 had brown sugar and granulated sugar with three trials of measurement using a one dry cup measurement. Their trials we to weigh the sugars after: dipping cup into granulated sugar and leveling, packing brown sugar into cup, and spooning into cup the brown sugar without packing it down.Group 4 had water with two trials. The first, filling 1 cup to ¼ mark, setting on a level surface and, at eye level, reading the measurement. Second was to measure 4 tablespoons into a cup and re-measure that water into a graduated cylinder.Group 5 had corn syrup using a dry measuring up and a liquid measuring cup both filling completely on aflat surface and leveling off.Results: Group 1 discovered sifting the flour and spooning it into the cup was the most consistent form ofmeasurement because the sifted flour was not compressed by the cup itself.Group 2 discovered scooping the fat into the cup was the most consistent form of measurement because there was less wasted rather than transferring from the saucepan to the cup and out into the item being prepared.Group 3 discovered measuring packed brown sugar was the most consistent because it mimicked how granulated sugar was measured opposed to loose brown sugar that had lots of air pockets and lumps.Group 4 discovered that the ¼ cup measurement was the most consistent because there was less transference, also that each person reads measurements differently so the data was widely varied.Group 5 discovered that a dry measuring cup was the most accurate in measuring corn syrup because theycould level it off and less got stuck on the sides like the liquid measuring cup did.Discussion: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points or HACCP, “ is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumptionof the finished product.” (FDA) In this lab we learned how to be safe in the kitchen according to the HACCP as well as learning how to extinguish grease fires the most common kitchen accidents, how to be properly dressed (close toed shoes and hair pulled back) and how to sanitize with a bleach/water solution. An example of cross contamination is handling raw chicken and then cutting vegetables on the same cutting board or eating peanuts, not washing your hands and then preparing food for children with severe peanut allergies. Steel is a metal often used for making kitchen utensils that are very durable. A scoop is defined as “a ladle or ladlelike utensil, esp. a small shovel with a short handle, for taking up flour, sugar, etc.”(Definitions.net) A # 12 Scoop is a standardized size of measuring cup for commercial use. A meniscus is defined as “the curved upper surface of a nonturbulent liquid in a container that is concave if the liquid wets the walls and convex if it does not.” (The Free Dictionary) The significance of the results found in Lab # 1 teach us that measuring is not always exact and one must know how to accurately measure substances for consistent results. It is also important to learn the guidelines of kitchen safety not only for the person preparing food but also for the consumer. Summary: In this lab we measured various different substances each in trials of 2-4 and weighed them tofind the most consistent and accurate form of measurement. I conclude that flour should always be sifted, fat at room temp, brown sugar packed, water read at eye level by one person and viscous substances like corn syrup measured in a dry measuring cup. I will further use this knowledge in my own cupcake bakingat home to keep my delicious results consistent so if and when I start my own bakery I shall have full knowledge of replicating my recipes for mass consumption.