Language and Units

The language used will be the Queen s English or that subset of it as approved by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Where chemical names are concerned there are some lost causes, such as caustic soda, where little would be gained if those who clean factories called this substance sodium hydroxide. Arguably, the name caustic soda conveys more useful information. Similar lost causes are spirits of wine (ethyl alcohol or ethanol) and spirits of salts (hydrochloric acid). While lipid chemists may insist on referring to triacylglycerols many people in industry continue to refer to triglycerides. Similarly trivial names for fatty acids such as lauric will continue to be used. The principle in all of this is to use the proper name but to mention other names that are in common use. 

There are a few areas in the subjects covered by this book where unfortunately the same words or are used to describe different things. They are gluten and flour improver. In food law a flour improver would cover a substance added to flour to improve its performance, usually in bread. Such a substance is ascorbic acid. In a bakery, the expression flour improver covers a mixture that is added to the dough. In this context a flour improver will contain not only substances like ascorbic acid but also, for example, enzyme active soya flour, emulsifiers and possibly fat. 

Gluten is used to refer to dried wheat gluten, all the proteins in a dough, and by chemists as a class of proteins. 

The names given to products can also cause problems. The worst possible case is the English and the American muffin, where the same word is used to describe two completely different products Product names are a problem not only between the farthest flung parts of the English speaking world but also within the UK. Products that could be classified as a bread roll are known as a breadcake in Yorkshire, a cob in the Midlands, and a huffer in Essex. 

These differences occur because there is not a national market in baked products. Short life products of low value have to be made near to where they are consumed, otherwise the cost of transport will exceed the value of the product. In some cases products are not known away from their local market. Such a product is the Scots morning roll. Other 

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