Sensory Analysis
Comparative Analysis
When I first made my chicken salad I compared it to one I had bought. I noticed several differences in taste, appearance and pricing.
My chicken salad looked green and fresh when I served it; the colours of each component were vibrant and appealing. The readymade looked less vibrant and the vegetables were limp and not very crispy. The chicken in the readymade was also noticeably smaller and there was less of it.
However, the salad I made was slightly wet and soggy, whilst the one I bought did not have this problem- it had a nice texture on my palate. The salad I bought was quite bland; the chicken was not very juicy whilst the chicken in my salad was succulent and moist.
My salad cost £3.95 to make whilst the one I bought cost £5.00 even though it was a smaller portion size.
In terms of nutrition I noticed that the salad I bought contained 450 calories whilst mine only contained 399. My salad contained 37g of protein and the readymade one only contained 30g. Both contained 10g of carbohydrate. Whilst my salad only contained 7g of fat, the readymade contained a much higher amount at 15g. Of the 7g of fat in my salad, 2g of it was saturated fat-the readymade contained 5g of saturated fat. The shop bought salad contained 3g of fibre whilst mine only contained 2g. Both salads contained 1g of salt.
From this we can see that the readymade salad was a lot unhealthier; containing more fat, a higher total of saturated fat, more calories and less carbohydrates. It did however, contain more fibre. Considering it cost more to buy a salad, I think people should just make their own because it is healthier and more nutritious. When cooking at home, no additives are added, preserving the natural tastes and nutrients in the food.
Vegetable Pasta
Nutritional Information:
- Calories: 323
- Protein 12g
- Carbohydrate 58g
- Fat 5 g
- Saturated fat 1g
- Fibre 6g
- Salt 0. 5 g
Costs:
- Onion: £0.36
- Garlic: £0.06
- Tomato tin: £0.60
- Carrot: £0.08
- Salt: £0.04
- Oregano: £0.06
- Cheese: £0.35
- Vegetables:£0.40
- Red pepper: £0.45
- Chilli: £0.03
- Pasta: £1.00
- Basil: £0.06
Ingredients:
- 2 red peppers , quartered and deseeded
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion , roughly chopped
- 1 large carrot , roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed
-
¼ tsp crushed chillies
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- small handful basil , leaves shredded
- 500g bag fresh egg pasta
- Grated cheese, to taste
Equipment:
- Drainer
- Large saucepan
- Spoon
- Non-stick pot
- Slotted spoon
- Oven-proof dish
- Grater
Method:
- Put water in a pot and add salt. Once the water begins to boil, add the pasta.
- In another pot, soften the crushed garlic in olive oil till it becomes brown. Add the spices and allow it to cook.
- Once everything has been heated, add the vegetables (besides the onion and spinach) and soften them. Add the diced onion and leave for 2-3 mins.
- Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, and allow it to heat through. Then add the spinach.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.
- Thoroughly mix it, and then transfer it to an oven proof dish.
- Sprinkle over some grated cheese and transfer it to an oven-proof dish.
- Leave in the oven for about 10 mins, at 180 degrees, or until golden brown.
Sensory Analysis
Comparative Analysis
Once I had cooked my pasta, I compared it with a readymade version.
I noticed that my pasta was more flavoursome than the one I had bought- each vegetable had its own distinct taste and the dish as a whole tasted fresh. The pasta I bought did not have this ‘fresh’ taste.
The pasta I bought had a nice texture- saucy, tomatoe-y and creamy. My pasta was not so- the texture was dry. However my pasta contained many different vegetables and each one could be differentiated by its unique texture. Even though the shop bought pasta was vegetable flavoured there were no solid vegetables, they were in powdered form. This was probably because ‘real’ vegetables would not last as long on their natural state. The powdered vegetables contained more additives, making them less nutritious.
My pasta cost £3.49 to make, but I divided this price by four because the recipe was made to serve four people, to get £0.87. The pasta that I bought cost £1.00, making it more expensive, even if it was only by £0.13.
Nutritionally, my pasta was healthier because it only contained 323 calories whilst the readymade one contained 350. My pasta also contained more protein (12g) than the 10g in the shop bought pasta. The shop bought pasta did contain more carbohydrate than mine- mine contained 58g whilst the shop bought one contained 60g. My pasta contained 5g of fat whilst the pasta which I purchased contained 6g, of which 3g were saturated fat. My pasta contained 1g of saturated fat. The pasta I bought contained 7g of fat whilst mine contained only 6g. Both contained 0.5g of salt.
By analysing the nutritional information we can see that making your own pasta is healthier and also slightly cheaper. The pasta I made contained lower levels of total fat and saturated fat and contained fewer calories. Again, when cooking at home, no additives are added; preserving the natural tastes and nutrients in the food.
Apple Crumble
Nutritional Information:
- Calories-268
- Protein-2g
- Carbohydrate-36g
- Fat-12 g
- Saturated fat-5g
- Fibre-5g
- Sugar-20g
- Salt-0.14 g
Costs:
- Apple: £1.31
- Flour: £0.27
- Butter: £1.20
- Sugar: £0.05
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp sugar, plus extra, to taste
-
75g/2½oz butter
-
75g/2½oz Demerara sugar
- 170g/6oz plain flour
Equipment:
- Peeler
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Bowl
- Oven proof dish
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Small bowl
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- Peel, core, and chop the apples into large pieces.
- For the crumble filling, heat the apples, water and sugar in a large pan over a medium heat, stirring regularly. Continue to cook gently for 12-15 minutes, or until the apples have broken down. (Add more sugar if necessary).
-
For the crumble topping, in a large bowl, mix together the butter, sugar and flour using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Spoon the crumble filling mixture in an even layer into the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over the crumble topping mixture. Transfer the apple crumble to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the topping is golden-brown and the filling is bubbling.
- To serve, spoon a portion of apple crumble into the centre of each of four serving plates. Drizzle over the custard or double cream, if using.
Sensory Analysis
Star Profile
The salad looked very appetising. I liked the vibrant colours of the salad. I think it tasted nice, but needed a bit more seasoning. The salad was a bit ‘wet’ in my mouth, but i liked the different textures of each of the components. The salad did not have an aroma.
The pasta looked okay, however i think it would have looked better if i had grated more cheese over the top. It tasted very nice but the ratio of past to sauce was too little. It needed more sauce. The pasta felt dry in my mouth, I did not like its texture. I liked the aromas of all the different vegetables, it smelt appealing.
The apple crumble looked too dark and not very appetising but it tasted yummy! The balance between the sweet crumble and the sour apples was nice. I also liked the spicy smell that came from the cinnamon in the apples. I would have liked the crumble to have been more ‘crumbly’.
Criteria
Research the use of food additives in convenience foods. Using a convenience food of your choice, carry out a comparative analysis with a home-made equivalent.
AO1 Brainstorm task to identify issues and questions.
Brief background information on the function of food additives, the range of convenience foods available, reasons for their increased use, and an assessment the sensible use of convenience foods.
Questionnaire or shopping survey on the availability and use of convenience foods.
AO2.1 Task analysis showing conclusions drawn from the research, with clear aims identified.
AO2.2 Analysis of questionnaires or survey focusing on the most popular types of convenience foods.
AO2.3 Identify a clear course of action. Using information gathered from AO2.2, plan practical work and the comparative analysis with justification for your choice of dishes.
AO2.4 Plan for the practical work which should include recipes, methods and time plans for all the chosen work.
AO2.5 Carry out your planned practical work with sensory analysis of the items made.
AO3.1 Evaluate research and practical work, including the sensory analysis, cost and nutritional value of the items made.
AO3.2 Interpret information and present conclusions.
Refer back to your research and discuss what you have learned about additives and convenience foods. Present your conclusions from the investigation.