Benders'dictionary of nutrition and food technology

320green Penicillium, black Aspergillus. Many also producemycotoxins.Used for large-scale manufacture of citric acid (Aspergillusniger), ripening of cheeses (Penicillium spp.) and as source ofenzymes for industrial use. A number of foods are fermentedwith moulds, e.g. idli, miso and tempeh.The mycelium of Fusariumspp. is used as mycoprotein. Most of the antibiotics aremould products.mowrah fat (mowrah butter) See cocoa butter equivalents.MPD Modified polydextrose.M r Relative molecular mass, also known as molecular weight.MRM See meat, mechanically recovered.mRNA Messenger RNA, synthesised in the nucleus as a copy ofone strand of a region of dna containing the information for thesynthesis of one or more proteins.See also transcription; translation.MRP Material resource planning.MSG See monosodium glutamate.MSM Mechanically separated meat, see meat, mechanicallyrecovered.MUAC See mid-upper-arm circumference.mucilage Soluble but undigested polymers of the sugars arabinoseand xylose found in some seeds and seaweeds; used as thickeningand stabilising agents in food processing by virtue of theirwater-holding and viscous properties.See also gum.mucin A glycoprotein, the main protein of mucus secreted bygoblet cells of mucous epithelium as protection; it is resistant tohydrolysis by digestive enzymes. Especially rich in cysteine andthreonine; some 60% of the dietary requirement for threonineis accounted for by losses in intestinal mucus.mucopolysaccharides glycoproteins with a short polypeptidechain covalently linked to a long linear polysaccharide; commonlyfound in connective tissue.mucoproteins glycoproteins consisting of acidic mucopolysaccharidescovalently linked to specific proteins; sticky andslippery, found for example in saliva and mucous membranesecretions.mucosa Moist tissue lining, e.g. the mouth (buccal mucosa),stomach (gastric mucosa), intestines and respiratory tract.mucous colitis See irritable bowel syndrome.mucus Viscous fluid secreted by mucous membranes, in thegastro-intestinal tract. Acts both to lubricate the intestinalwall and also to prevent digestion of intestinal mucosal cells.Main constituent is mucin.