Food Chemistry
What is a nonpolar molecule? Provide one example
A nonpolar molecule is one that doesn't have a charge imbalance. There is no positive or negative side. Examples include: Oils, Fats, Resins and Waxes.
What is one physical change we performed in this class when cooking a food?
Milk into butter. Milk and cream into ice cream.
What is leavening
The production or incorporation of gases in a baked product to increase volume and to produce shape and texture.
Name the experiment where we forced Fat (oil) molecules to smash together and form a solid made primarily of fat.
Butter lab
False
What is the chemical change that occurs within pancakes that causes them to become "fluffy?" Make sure to talk about an ingredient used and what is produces.
Baking powder mixes with water to undergo a chemical reaction that produces water, salts and water. This carbon dioxide is captured inside the baked good and creates bubbles, creating a fluffy texture.
True or False: Mixing water, vinegar and an emulsifier is an example of a physical change.
False, this is an example of a chemical change.
What is an emulsifier
A molecule that has one end that holds onto a polar molecule, such as water, and one end that holds onto nonpolar molecules,
such as oil, that allow oil and waters to mix together (at least for a time).
Name the experiment where we forced polar and nonpolar molecules to stick together when adding an emulsifier, such as mustard, garlic paste, tomato paste or mayonnaise.
Salad Dressing Science
Water is often called H20, explain what this means chemical? What atoms are found within the molecule and in what quantities?
One hydrogen and two oxygen.
Why is water a polar molecule?
Because it has a charge imbalance. One side is positively charged and one side is negatively charged.
The salt lowers the melting point of the water near the ice cream, causing the water to be cold enough to freeze the water found within the milk quicker.
What is the maillard reaction?
reaction between proteins and carbohydrates that causes food to brown when cooked
Name the experiment where we caused the fats found within a food item to bond with the resins within another food item, causing a food product that does not normally dissolve in our mouth to dissolve.
The bubblegum and chocolate lab.
There are two types of emulsions, oil-in-water and water-in-oil. What is milk an example of
Oil-in-water.
Mustard, Tomato Paste, Garlic Paste and Mayonnaise are all examples of emulsifiers. What do emulsifiers do? Be sure to mention Polar and Nonpolar molecules.
Emulsifiers have one polar head and one nonpolar head that connect them to polar and nonpolar molecules. As a result, they keep polar and nonpolar molecules connected, like oil and vinegar in salad dressings.
Explain the process involved with turning cream into butter.
We shook the cream together to cause all of the fat globules to "smash" together. Fat molecules, being nonpolar, repel water and created a solid product.
What is an emulsion
a fine dispersion of minute droplets of one liquid in another in which it is not soluble or miscible.
Name the experiment where we added an ingredient to a base recipe to determine how the chemicals inside would influence the "fluffiness" of our food product.
The pancake lab.
When making chocolate, cocoa pods are fermented and then baked. What is the cocoa pods high in?
Fats/Oils - Nonpolar molecules
Why is dual acting baking powder used in baked goods? Why is better than single acting baking powder? Make sure to talk about the gases produced and what makes them happen.
Double acting baking powder releases carbon dioxide gas twice. First it releases carbon dioxide gas when mixed with water. Then, after heated, the double acting baking powder releases carbon dioxide gas when heat is introduced. This causes the baked goods to be "fluffier"
Explain the process involved with causing popcorn kernels to pop
When heat is applied, the moisture inside the kernel turns to steam. The outside of the kernel, called the Pericarp, is thick and prevents the kernel from exploding at first. The steam creates pressure and liquifies the starch inside, producing tiny bubbles. The pressure from the steam causes the pericarp to rupture, causing the popcorn to pop.
Acid-Base Reaction
The chemical reaction occuring within food items causing acids to give away protons to bases, resulting in the production of carbon dioxide gas.
Name the experiment where we caused the moisture inside of a food product to turn to steam, causing the outside of the food product to break, liquifying the starches and producing a food product that was much larger than what we started with.
Popcorn lab.
Why do farmers closely monitor the moisture content of popcorn kernels after they farm them? Why do they place them in silos that make sure they remain a specific moisture content?
A specific moisture content inside of popcorn kernels is required to make sure they produce large popcorn kernels after they are popped.