ABSTRACT
Some foods are consumed raw, and others are cooked. There are several reasons for this. Cooking improves the flavor of the food, for instance, the flavor of uncooked flour or sour apples is not very pleasant, but when the flour has been converted into bread and the apples stewed with sugar, their flavor is much improved. On the other hand, fresh strawberries are not cooked as this would spoil the delicious flavor of the raw fruit [1]. Cooking may also improve the attractiveness of food. Eating a raw chop is not much relished, but after cooking, it has an appetizing appearance and a good smell. Even more important, cooking may make food more digestible. It would be difficult to eat the flesh of a raw chop (or uncooked flour) even if you wanted to, but after cooking, it is much more tender and so easier to chew and digest. Finally, cooking may improve the keeping quality of food and make it safe. For example, milk may be boiled to delay the souring process and kill bacteria. The preservation of food by heat treatment is quite distinct from cooking.
