FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

DIPLOMA IN SCIENCE (AS120)

CASE STUDY
CHM271

TITLE:
COLLOID: FOOD APPLICATION

PREPARED BY:
NABILA FITRI BINTI ISMAILI

2019273074

AS1202B

PREPARED FOR:
MISS NURHAFIZAH BINTI MOHD SELIHIN

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 No. Content Page
1. Introduction 3
2. Background 4-5
3. Advantages and Disadvantages 6-7
4. Recommendations 8
5. Conclusion 9
6. References 10

Introduction :

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 A gel is jelly-like substance that has properties ranging from soft, weak and hard. By

weight, gels are mostly liquids but also behave like solids. They have a three dimensional

cross-linked network within the liquid. It is the crosslinks in the fluids that give gels its semi-

solid structure. As colloids, the colloidal particles of gels are solid and the dispersion medium

is liquid. Usually, the dispersion medium used is water, called hydrosol.

Food colloids give structure, texture and mouth-feel to various type of food products.

An example of gel that is being studied is jelly. Jelly is a common type of food that are

widely commercialize in the world. It is usually transparent coloured-food that is eaten as

dessert. Generally, to formed jelly, gelatine powder is mix into a boiling water. As the

solution cooks, protein molecules unwind developing a network which traps water and

creates gel.

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Background :

Jelly is made from pectin, sugar, acid, water and fruit flavour. A jelly will formed

when these ingredients are mixed in a carefully measured amount and are in suitable

conditions.

The process needed in jelly making is boiling. Firstly, water should be boiled. Then,

pectin will be added into the boiling water. Pectin is a type of starch called

heteropolysccharides than can be found in the cell walls of plants. It acts as a thickening

agent and a food stabilizer. Slightly under-ripe fruits contained more pectin than ripe fruit and

over ripe fruits do not usually contain enough pectin to form gels. Fruits such as apricot,

pineapple and cherries contain low pectin. So, to form gel, they must be combined with fruits

that are rich in pectin or combined with commercial pectin products that are usually in a form

of powder.

Moreover, acids are also being used in the making of jelly. The most common acids

are lemons and citric acid. An acid with a certain level of acidity, usually below pH 3.5 must

be present for a jelly to form. If the mixture is not sufficiently acidic, the jelly will not form

and if too much acid is added, the jelly will lose its liquid.

Other than that, sugar is also necessary for the jelly to form. It helps in the formation

of gel and contributes flavour. Sugar serves as preservatives if 50% of concentration of it by

weight is used. Cane sugars are ideal type of sugar used for preserving.

In the end, the mixture should be mix well and let it cool for it to harden.

The importance of boiling in jelly making is actually to release pectin from the fruits

used as pectin forms semisolid texture of jelly as they cool.

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 As a result, jellies are experiencing an increasing demand all over the world. Not just

because of its delicious and sweet taste that make the consumers went crazy about it, but also

jellies have become part of their daily meals by consumers of all age groups. Some used

jellies as snacks and some used them as spread on their bread. Although jellies are loved by

many, they contribute in rising health issues such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure

if consumed in a large amount.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Jelly :

One of the advantages of consuming jellies is that it helps us receive daily amount of

required nutrients from fruits. As we all know, fruits like raspberries, strawberries and

pineapples are often used in the making of jellies to improve the taste and give the jellies

their delicious flavours. Fruits are main sources of many essential nutrients that are under

consumed such as potassium, vitamin c, folic acid and many more. By adding these nutritious

fruits, we can get all the nutrients we need to keep us healthy, strong and can assist the body

in developing the capacity to fight harmful diseases and even cancers by boosting our

immunity level.

Next, it can acts as a mood booster. Jellies are sweet as they contain sugars and

usually come in many flavours. It is scientifically proven that eating sweet food like jelly can

make us happier. This is because the brain releases a chemical substance called dopamine

when sugars reach our brain. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter that plays an

important role in emotional responses. This makes us feel the pleasure when eating jelly and

will improve our mood. Healthy level of dopamine makes us to seek and repeat enjoyable

activity like eating delicious food and later makes us feel good. Then, the brain assumes this

as a reward. This will be very beneficial for us to eat jelly when working or when we feel

stress as our mind need to take a break from a hectic life.

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 Eating too much jelly can cause tooth decay. This is mainly because of the high

amount of sugar in it. The bacteria in our mouth use sugar to produce acids that dissolve and

damage our teeth. The erosion of tooth occurs when the acids produced attack the tooth to

dissolve the outer surface of tooth enamel and this process is called demineralization. Each

acids attacks for around 30 minutes for every sip or bite we take and this process repeat all

over again. As a result, this leads to cavity and exposure of the inner layer of tooth that may

become sensitive and painful especially when eating hot or cold food and sweet drinks. If left

untreated, the cavity will cause possible tooth decay and eventually will cause tooth loss. In

addition, jelly is a sticky food. When eating jelly, this will provide a long-lasting source of

sugar in our mouth. Because of that, the bacteria in our mouth have plenty of time to produce

more acids and will cause worse tooth decaying.

Other than that, the effect of eating jelly, which is categorized at the highest level in

the food pyramid, in other words mean that we should take them in a small quantity, is not

focusing on the effect it gives to our health only, but also to the environment. In the food

manufacturing, every jellies produced will be packed in a single plastic container and

hundreds of jellies are being produced every day. Plastics are cheaper and easier to

manufacture compared to other materials. Improper disposal of these plastic containers lead

to them flow to the water bodies, where they dissolve over a long time due to their non-

biodegradable nature. Sea creatures like fishes and turtles are the main victims of this

irresponsible act. Their deaths often caused by ingestion of plastics, suffocation and infection.

Moreover, when these plastics containers are being thrown carelessly, they can cause

blockage to the drainage system and in the end will cause sewage water spills everywhere,

mainly on the road.

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Recommendations on how to improve jelly :

One of the main ingredients in the making of jelly is sugar. Sugar is important to

improve the taste of jelly but high usage of this ingredient in jelly can be harmful for our

health. A little amount of jelly would be just nice to enjoy the simple pleasure of its taste but

because of the sugar, we must limit the intake of it. To improve the jelly, we can make the

jelly healthier by using natural sweetener like honey. Honey is particularly healthy when used

instead of sugar, which is 0% calories. It contains no fat, fibre and protein. High quality

honey would be recommended because it contains many important antioxidants like organic

acids and flavonoids. Antioxidants have been linked to reduce the risk of strokes, high blood

pressure and even some types of cancer.

Other than that, the choice of fruit is also important to improve the texture of jelly.

Slightly unripe fruits or just ripe fruits contain more pectin than over ripe fruits. Over ripe

fruits might not contain enough pectin to form a gel. A general guideline or the best portion

of fruits is to use one part under ripe fruit to two parts fully ripe fruits (1:2) for the best gel

texture and taste. The pectin in fruits becomes water soluble when it is heated. Too high of a

temperature used can destroy the pectin, resulting in poor gel. So, doubling the recipe

changes the length of time needed in boiling and will result in a nice semi-solid texture of

jelly.

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Conclusion :

It is undeniable that jelly, one of the types of colloid can be one of the most enjoyable

foods of all time. Not only because of the delicious taste but also the smooth texture when we

eat them and no wonder that jelly is loved by all age groups .The process of making jelly is

not as hard as it may seems, but actually it is very simple by using boiling and cooling

method and can be done at home. Despite all of the good things we see in jelly making or

jelly eating, there are also a few flaws in them as it can effects our health and also our

environment if not being handled in correct ways. To improve this, we must look at many

factors such as the nutrition, ingredients, cooking method, and even how to store it. When it

comes to food, we must keep in mind that we are what we eat. It is always important to look

on the bright side. So, we must choose our food wisely in order to maintain a healthy body

and mind.

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References :

1. https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-samsung-gj-
rev1&sxsrf=ALeKk03FT5kgNx6yMs8FqnEmX0EY4FtObA:1586242529741&q=suga
r+improves+mood&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwis5Yz03dXoAhVUaCsKHVBjASUQ1QIw
FXoECBYQIg&biw=412&bih=812&dpr=2.63

2. https://www.the1thing.com/blog/the-one-thing/the-5-unexpected-benefits-of-sugar/

3. https://www.healthyeating.org/healthy-eating/all-star-foods/fruits

4. http://berryripe.com/7-surprising-health-benefits-of-desserts/

5. https://www.google.com/search?
q=impact+of+sugar+to+health&oq=impact+of+sugar+to+health&aqs=chrome..69
i57j0l2.6864j0j7&client=ms-android-samsung-gj-rev1&sourceid=chrome-
mobile&ie=UTF-8#sbfbu=1&pi=impact%20of%20sugar%20to%20health

6. https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/making-jelly

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