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Energy Carbohydrates Fats Proteins

Reference data and engineering information about energy carbohydrates fats proteins for food and bio applications.

energycarbohydratesfatsproteinsCalculator

Overview

Engineering reference data for Energy Carbohydrates Fats Proteins in food bio.

Key Formulas

pH

pH=log10[H+]pH = -\log_{10}[H^+]

Measure of acidity in food.

Water Activity

aw=PP0a_w = \frac{P}{P_0}

Ratio of vapor pressure of food to pure water.

Thermal Death Time

logN0N=tD\log\frac{N_0}{N} = \frac{t}{D}

Microbial reduction during heating.

Q10 Temperature Coefficient

Q10=(k2k1)10/(T2T1)Q_{10} = \left(\frac{k_2}{k_1}\right)^{10/(T_2-T_1)}

Rate change per 10°C temperature increase.

Variables

SymbolDescriptionUnit
pHpHAcidity level
awa_wWater activity
NNMicrobial countCFU
DDDecimal reduction timemin
Q10Q_{10}Temperature coefficient

Energy Content Data

The table below summarizes the specific energy content for major macronutrients, which is fundamental for nutritional calculations and food energy analysis.

3 rows
Approximate specific energy content of macronutrients in food. Protein and carbohydrate values are often considered equivalent for simplified caloric calculations.
Macronutrient
Specific Energy(MJ/kg)
Specific Energy(kcal/g)
Specific Energy(Btu/lb)
Carbohydrates1747300
Fats39916800
Proteins1747300

Source: engineeringtoolbox.com

Conversion Notes

The values represent the average metabolizable energy per unit mass. The common approximation for food energy is:

  • 4 kcal/g for carbohydrates and proteins.
  • 9 kcal/g for fats. These values are critical for calculating the total energy content of a food item from its macronutrient composition.

Interactive Charts

Microwave Heating

References