MEL Chemistry | Chemistry of food preparation @melchemistry7035 | Uploaded December 2020 | Updated October 2024, 21 hours ago.
Did you know that the formation of bread crusts has been studied for over 100 years?
Equipment: toaster, frying pan, bread, vegetable oil, potatoes.
If you toast a slice of bread for a minute, it turns out golden and crisp. When you peel some potatoes and fry them in a greased frying pan, they also turn a beautiful golden-brown after a while. Why?
All foods contain proteins and carbohydrates. When heated, these compounds partially decompose to amino acids and sugars. Amino acid molecules contain special fragments (amino groups), as do sugars (aldehyde groups). Due to these fragments, amino acids and sugars react in what is known as the Maillard reaction to form hundreds of new compounds, which are responsible for the crispness and pleasant aroma of cooked food. This reaction has been studied for more than a hundred years, but the exact compositions of all the products of this reaction have not yet been established.
Cool and safe experiments await you in the MEL Chemistry subscription!
Warning! Only under adult supervision
Did you know that the formation of bread crusts has been studied for over 100 years?
Equipment: toaster, frying pan, bread, vegetable oil, potatoes.
If you toast a slice of bread for a minute, it turns out golden and crisp. When you peel some potatoes and fry them in a greased frying pan, they also turn a beautiful golden-brown after a while. Why?
All foods contain proteins and carbohydrates. When heated, these compounds partially decompose to amino acids and sugars. Amino acid molecules contain special fragments (amino groups), as do sugars (aldehyde groups). Due to these fragments, amino acids and sugars react in what is known as the Maillard reaction to form hundreds of new compounds, which are responsible for the crispness and pleasant aroma of cooked food. This reaction has been studied for more than a hundred years, but the exact compositions of all the products of this reaction have not yet been established.
Cool and safe experiments await you in the MEL Chemistry subscription!
Warning! Only under adult supervision