Questions tagged [food-chemistry]
For questions related to the chemistry of food.
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I live in an area with a company that claims they've made soft carbonated drink out of lactic acid and milk, how true is it? [closed]
I live in Iran, recently a massive cooperate company has produced a soda/carbonated soft drink, under the brand name "luckydo" which they claim it's beneficial for your health and each 2 glasses ...
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0answers
32 views
What does which compound of this mixture do (Glue)
In school we are told to create an organic glue (edible and non toxic) and the teachers said we won´t get any help because it´s the final project. Can you please tell me which of the compounds of this ...
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1answer
45 views
How can I check the sodium content of food?
What is an easy (i.e., home project) way to measure sodium in food?
For example, the nutritional label of a tahini brand that I often consume shows very little sodium (around 10mg/100g). I suspect ...
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0answers
32 views
What kind of chemical reaction happens when combining Tahini and Date syrup?
While both Tahini and Date syrup are quite thin, when mixed together they form a paste-like substance that is very delicious, and quite thick. But what kind of chemical reaction leads to such sudden ...
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1answer
58 views
How long do I have to burn a carbon steel pan laced with flaxseed oil?
I've a carbon steel pan that's 26 cm in diameter, about 2 mm thick, but I doubt that it matters. I haven't been able to find a reliable resource that would tell me the smoke point of flaxseed oil, but ...
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1answer
26 views
At what acid concentration does potassium metabisulfite react?
I'm in the process of developing a well preserved food-stuff containing potassium metabisulfite and a number of acids (acetic, ascorbic, malic, tartaric, citric, lactic). Wine-making literature ...
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1answer
30 views
Changes over time in sodium hydroxide concentration in a hot water bath used for pretzel manufacture
I make soft pretzels using a hot (190 °F) and dilute (2-4% w/v) sodium hydroxide solution. The bath is kept hot in a open-top stainless steel vessel like a stockpot. I make my pretzel dough and dip ...
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Why does coconut oil spoil much faster than groundnut oil?
I have observed that various foods cooked using coconut oil spoil much faster than foods cooked using groundnut oil. One good example is Asian coconut milk curry. Even with proper refrigeration, this ...
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1answer
51 views
Adhesion of polymerized fats to cast iron
I'm trying to make an informed decision as to which oil is best to use for cast iron seasoning. I've read all kinds of conflicting information online and the only consistency seems to be that ...
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3answers
166 views
Why does Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Contain Sodium Despite no Sodium Ingredients?
According to the Coca-Cola website and every label I read, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is a mixture of organic compounds:
CARBONATED WATER (OC(OH)₂), CARAMEL COLOR (Various sugars), PHOSPHORIC ACID (H₃PO₄...
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1answer
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Will fruits and vegetables be more oxidized if blended at high speed for a long time or at less rpm for a short period of time? [closed]
Will fruits and vegetables be less oxidized if blended at higher speeds for shorter periods of time, or at lower speeds for longer periods of time?
Do the oxidized molecules in vegetable juice ...
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Are alkaline conditions required for Maillard reaction?
The Maillard reaction, a form of non-enzymatic browning, refers to a cascade of chemical reactions that frequently occurs in the cooking of foods (e.g. baking of pastries, roasting of meats). It ...
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1answer
38 views
Is it possible to turn food into fuel for a combustion engine? [closed]
According to McDonald's Nutrition Calculator page, the following order would contain 2480 kilocalories (or 10376 kilojoules):
1 x Double Bacon Smokehouse Burger
1 x Large Chocolate Shake
1 x Large ...
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3answers
5k views
Sugar solutions have a neutral pH in themselves, but it makes your body acidic. Why? [closed]
I'm not an expert, but as far as I understood a sugar solution is completely neutral since sugar can't take hydrogen ions out of the water or donate them in. Sugar is a non ionic compound, so it does ...
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1answer
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Identifying food, quick and cheap? [closed]
I’m asking this question in the most technical perspective of identifying substances, so I’m not considering the use of chemical tests like Benedict’s solution, biuret solution, Sudan III stain, or ...
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1answer
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Properties of food in different states [closed]
I've gotten into a heated discussion over the topic of foods before and after they have been cooked and or mixed. My opinion is that the properties obviously change once either mixed or exposed to ...
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1answer
318 views
Is flour or baking soda really suitable for extinguishing grease fires?
I think most have heard the advise that you should put flour (or baking soda) on a grease fire to absorb the oil before. While this is certainly better than using water, I'm skeptical.
For starters ...
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1answer
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emulsion - why does it make a differnce if you have have more/less water/oil
So I have been wondering why you can see the following:
Using 10 ml oil and 1 ml water with and emulgator leads to a way better emulsion than if you use 10 ml water with 1 ml oil (if you use the ...
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1answer
79 views
Any consumable liquid that would dissolve ground coffee?
Figured I would try here rather than a food-oriented forum.
Is finely ground coffee (Espresso/Turkish) soluble in any consumable liquid?
Otherwise asked: is there any liquid available to the average ...
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2answers
2k views
Why does lavender oil dissolve plastic?
A few weeks ago I decided to harvest the lavender in my garden and put it through a still to extract the essential oils. The still in question is essentially just an air cooled condenser.
I collected ...
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0answers
51 views
Formation of caffeidine in Noon Chai
Noon Chai (as described in this question) from Kashmir is prepared by adding common salt and sodium bicarbonate to green tea and cooking it for quite some time (~ 30 minutes).
Noon Chai is also ...
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0answers
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Glucose test strip science project
My daughter is interested in doing an IB science project related to glucose test strips. It has been a little difficult finding references for background review of literature into the chemistry of ...
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1answer
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E227 Food Additive effectiveness
I have been researching on E227 (Calcium Bisulfite), and could find minimal information about how it acts as a preservative and how effective it is. I could only find that it preserves by converting ...
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2answers
103 views
Is sugar necessary for the sweetening effect of food?
A lot of food packages, nowadays, are mentioning "0 g sugar" or "sugar free". Then how do those still taste sweet?
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0answers
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cluster of milk [closed]
I have a problem with milk when we are making yogurt in factory. When the milk pass through the machine it clogs the filter of the machine because the cluster that formed on the filter. My question is ...
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2answers
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Why is cooking not potentially lethal? [closed]
Even the simplest ingredients used in cooking, such as a banana, contain hundreds of chemical compounds. When we cook we mix several of these ingredients and apply heat, which makes a perfect ...
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1answer
38 views
Can sucralose form a syrup?
(Almost) Everyone is familiar with making simple syrup from table sugar and water.
I was wondering if pure sucralose is also capable of forming a syrup.
I wanted to do an experiment myself, but to ...
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2answers
119 views
What is oil smoke point?
I understand that the smoke point is the temperature at which oil starts to produce smoke. But how exactly is that smoke produced? I've read that it is related to hydrolysis and oxidation, but I'd ...
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1answer
230 views
Naturally Occurring Sulfites or Sulphites form
In the following link, it says that the product
May contain trace amounts of naturally occurring sulfite residue
I asked the manufacturer about it and the explanation I got was:
The trace ...
38
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2answers
5k views
What causes the “rotting fish smell”?
Rotting fish seem to give off the same (very pungent) kind of smell, regardless of the kind (salmon, seabreen, tuna, etc).
What exactly is it that's responsible for this unique smell?
(Though I've ...
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0answers
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How does alcohol infusion (maceration) work chemically?
To make liqueurs (e.g. lemon liqueur) you take some fruit and/or plant and let them macerate in pure alcohol to make the alcohol have the fragrance and color of the original ingredient.
How does it ...
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2answers
495 views
Why does the outside of a plastic cooking oil bottle get sticky over time?
Cooking oil (I've observed it with canola oil, if that matters) is not ordinarily sticky. When I buy a plastic bottle of it, the outside is not sticky.
But when use some of it, then return after a ...
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1answer
64 views
Why is there only a slight change in pH when soda loses its fizz?
I did an experiment for my chemistry class and did a control with sparkling water and the pH increased by a significant amount, but when done with sodas like cream soda, coke, or 7 Up, the pH change ...
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1answer
141 views
Last step of nicotine extraction using DCM
After using hydro-distillation method with distilled water and NaOH, separating the extract with dichloromethane, distillate it at 40 °C/104 °F, I'm left with some yellow pale oil.
I'm just wondering ...
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1answer
265 views
What forms the emulsion in chocolate?
Some days ago, before buying a chocolate I read the ingredients and saw that it contains a natural emulsifier. A Google search didn't reveal anything about of what the emulsion formed is, do you have ...
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2answers
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Does boiling milk really make the nutrients in it less useful to the body when ingesting it?
Does “denaturing” nutrients in milk by boiling it make them less useful, or actually more useful, as they undergo “denaturation” anyway during digestion?
I've read online that boiling milk "denatures"...
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Why do gnocchi float when they are cooked?
Gnocchi is a kind of pasta made with flour, potatoes and eggs. They are cooked in boiling water and when they are ready to be eaten they float.
Why do they float when they are cooked?
I found two ...
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1answer
64 views
How does salt push out the water from vegetables, meat, etc.?
Where can I find out, how does this process work? Have you noticed, that when you salt mushrooms, eggplant... or add sugar to lemon - some "juice" comes out.
Any explanations? Or maybe name that ...
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1answer
58 views
Is food color E-132 indigotine, carcinogenic?
I have seen different opinions on food color E-132 Indigo carmine (indigotine, FD&C Blue 2) if it forders cancer.
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1answer
262 views
How does calcium chloride act as a sequestrant (food science)?
This Wikipedia page lists common sequestrants (with respect to food science). As stated on the page:
A sequestrant forms chelate complexes with polyvalent metal ions, especially copper, iron and ...
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1answer
106 views
Why does butter get soft with heat, but not ice?
Sometimes a recipe asks me to soften the butter before I use it. This can be accomplished with a few seconds in the microwave, or just by leaving it out at room temperature for a while.
Ice, on the ...
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2answers
55 views
Fried potatoes absorbing oil [closed]
Suppose we bring a pan and put in it some oil and turn on the heat, before the oil could get very hot and nearly boiling, we put on the potatoes that start frying.
Someone told me that if the ...
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1answer
119 views
Why does salty water make hard boiled egg shells more fragile?
Boiling eggs in salty water rather than regular water makes the salt react with egg shells making them more fragile. My guess is that it's either sodium or chloride reacting with the calcium in eggs. ...
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1answer
52 views
Why Greek yogurt has higher protein concentration?
During fermentation, no nitrogen is added and the number of amino acid molecules cannot increase. Why does it have a higher protein concentration than milk?
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1answer
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Freezing liquid by dipping in liquid nitrogen? [closed]
It's a simple question from a chemistry-challenged person.
Is it possible to pour something liquid (water, juice, etc) into a special container and dip that container into liquid nitrogen so it ...
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1answer
14k views
Why are limes alkaline, but lemons are acidic? They taste about the same [closed]
So, this is kinda a dumb question, but I'm curious. Both are citrus fruits and very related to each other and taste sour which corresponds to both being acidic. Why then are limes said to be alkaline, ...
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0answers
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Why do frozen whipped cream remain “frozen” when thawed?
I froze some pastry with whipped cream on the other day (by mistake, I placed it on my balcony and expected it to be a few degrees above zero, but it wasn't). When I unfroze it again I was expecting ...
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2answers
370 views
Classification/Nomenclature of aroma and flavour compounds - terpenes, aldehydes, and alcohols, etc
I'm collating different types of aroma compounds but the nomenclature and classification structure is confusing. How do you classify flavour compounds that can belong to different groups (e.g. ...
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1answer
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Using drip extraction, how much caffeine is extracted from coffee as a function of the amount of water used?
When using a drip coffee maker, there are basically two choices we make: the amount of water and the amount of coffee grounds.
If we use the same amount of coffee grounds but double the water, how ...
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1answer
52 views
Are artificial ingredients better than natural ones because they are made in laboratory conditions?
If we have something like an artificial vanilla flavouring, is it any worse than a natural one?
Will both the natural and artificial ones have the same chemical formula?
Won't the artificial one be ...
