Questions tagged [food-science]
All about the scientific theories behind food. Cooking myths debunked here.
440
questions
1
vote
1answer
36 views
Water seal vs open crock pickles
I was lent a crock with a water seal lip, which was used for making sauerkraut. I want to use it for making pickles, which I have usually done by placing a cloth over the crock. Searching for ...
1
vote
1answer
73 views
Home-school science curriculum using cooking [closed]
My sister has decided to home-school her children (all daughters, ranging from 5-14 years old) this year and has asked me, her physicist brother, for help creating a science curriculum. I would like ...
2
votes
1answer
91 views
What’s the science behind thenkuzhal (its a crispy snack, crispy hollow tubes)?
How/why does the hollow form inside this crispy snack? It is made from rice flour dough. For more details please check https://kalaskalai.wordpress.com/2015/12/20/thaenkuzhal-murukku/
2
votes
1answer
106 views
Are chocolate brands taking countries temperatures into account?
Today is an unsually hot day where I live in France, we are reaching 40°C in some cities.
As I grabbed a KitKat out of its bag, I noticed that it was completly melted. It's 35°C in my appartment.
It ...
2
votes
0answers
89 views
What's the proper way to slice cherub tomato for sandwiches that maximizes tomato flavor? [closed]
I buy cherub tomatoes because I can use them all week in a variety of dishes and meals.
I'm looking for the best way to slice them for sandwiches to maximize the tomato flavor in a bite. I don't need ...
1
vote
2answers
77 views
When to bring eggs whites to room temperature?
I’m looking over a recipe for angel food cake that calls for twelve egg whites at room temperature and it got me wondering about what’s the best way to do it. Is it best to bring the dozen of eggs to ...
0
votes
0answers
51 views
Are there unwanted effects to simmering vegetables for days? [duplicate]
Simply put, will continuously simmering vegetables for days, even up to a week or two, in a perpetual stock lead to unexpected or unwanted results?
Since even the longest stock recipes I know don't ...
6
votes
1answer
119 views
Why does refined coconut oil make cookies chewy?
I've made this recipe for Chewy Vegan Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies and they are indeed chewy and delicious.
I never used refined coconut oil before so I did some research. I saw a lot of recipes ...
2
votes
1answer
113 views
Why do small things taste better than big things?
Small berries have more flavor than large berries, small scallops have more flavor than large scallops, cherry tomatoes have more flavor than beefsteak tomatoes. I can't think of any cases where the ...
6
votes
1answer
129 views
Does saturated fat result in crispier fried food?
I was watching this video of Kenji making Kung Pao chicken, in which he claims that frying in saturated fat results in crispier food. Is there any truth to this? I found this page stating saturated ...
1
vote
3answers
154 views
Why do my grains smell like my room?
My rice smells like my room and it's kinda weird. It tastes fine but I moved the rice to another location that smells different and I can still smell the strong smell of my room whenever I sniff the ...
1
vote
0answers
56 views
For the life of me I can't get my nougat to set hard
Recipe:
Syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/8 cup water (I dont think this does anything)
Dash of salt
Egg white
1 egg white whipped
Dash of cream of tartar to stabilize the egg white
2 tbsp ...
0
votes
2answers
85 views
My Sourdough Starter has a brown layer at the top?
So my sourdough starter is about two weeks old, but it suddenly stopped growing three days ago (after a couple days of very active growth)and developed a brown layer on top.The layer is mostly brown ...
1
vote
1answer
130 views
What are the grades of Italian pasta?
I'm a Russian student. I'm writing a report about Italian pasta. There is no information on the Russian web sites, so guys, help me, please. I need to learn more about the grade/quality of pasta. What ...
4
votes
1answer
77 views
I can't seem to get my nougat to come out right and I don't know why
I tried this pistachio nougat recipe once and it came out great. I've tried it two other times and the nougat hasn't set well at all. I'm thinking that this is because the recipe doesnt list a ...
1
vote
1answer
247 views
Is there a way to remove sodium tripolyphosphate additive from fish?
I bought fish online but I noticed it had tripolyphosphate additive.
Is there some way I can at least reduce the content without compromising the fish?
I was thinking soaking the fish in water as it ...
2
votes
3answers
152 views
what noise is the water boiling pot making when boiling water?
I tried to boil water in a Whistling boiling water kettle tea pot on a stove. The stove has electric stove top coil burners. So when boiling water with those, there is some noise and sometime a ...
3
votes
1answer
118 views
Separating gelatin from Jell-O powder
So I've been doing a bit more cooking while confined to my home and I wanted to make a recipe that calls for gelatin. I don't have any and I don't expect to be doing another grocery run for a few ...
13
votes
2answers
4k views
Kneading causing gluten
How can kneading something create more gluten? Gluten is a protein. Can moving something around create more protein? I doubt it. So what is really happening? Are the gluten proteins bonding ...
10
votes
1answer
919 views
What is the food chemistry of aquafaba?
Aquafaba is the water that chickpeas are cooked in. It can be made from dried chickpeas or obtained by draining a can of cooked chickpeas. Aquafaba is widely recommended as a substitute for eggs in ...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Can lemon sodas go bad?
So, I just opened up a bottle of lemon-flavored soda that had been sitting in my family's garage for a few years, and I noticed that its flavor seemed different than it normally is. I wasn't sure if ...
2
votes
1answer
125 views
Food Scientists: Please Explain the Final Dough Temperature (FDT) Formula
This is undoubtedly a question for a food scientist. I have seen online a formula to calculate the water temperature needed to achieve a final/desired dough temperature:
water temp = (FDT)*(mult. ...
3
votes
1answer
672 views
Lemon turned broccoli purple
I cooked broccoli with lemon and it turned purple/brown. It’s been a while but I believe I was steaming broccoli and added lemon to the water. It tasted bad—not like broccoli or lemon. What happened?
...
0
votes
0answers
59 views
Is it safe to make extracts from stone fruit pits?
So stone fruit pits I've been told taste a lot like almonds. I've been told that you can make an extract, much like almond extract, out of them as well. I've also heard that stone fruit pits contain ...
8
votes
2answers
264 views
How to find out flour protein content?
I went out to buy flour for making regular western bread (perhaps sourdough if I can make the starter) and the only flour I could find was a 5kg Chakki Atta (medium) from a generic brand in my local ...
35
votes
2answers
5k views
What happened to my egg?
I was making a small batch of chocolate cake and decided to flavor it with peppermint extract (as a substitute for vanilla extract). Foolish me added the extract directly to the eggs (not beaten). A ...
0
votes
1answer
62 views
Binders for skillet rice patties
I made rice cakes for my toddler: rice, quinoa, shredded potato, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese onions, corn and cilantro.
If I wanted them to hold together better would it be advisable to add water or ...
2
votes
1answer
332 views
Is Erythritol acid or alkaline and what is it's pH compared to brown sugar?
Is Erythritol acid or alkaline and what is it's pH compared to brown sugar?
In many baking recipes, baking soda is added together with acidic ingredients, such as brown sugar.
Also, this way, the ...
1
vote
2answers
110 views
What kind of mixture(colloid) is a roux?
One of my coworkers had a curious question the other day: what kind of mixture or colloid is a roux? For example, whipped cream is a foam, mayonnaise is an emulsion, and gelatin is a gel.
I know ...
2
votes
2answers
711 views
Why does meat go bad after 1 month sous vide at 55-60C ( 131 - 141F)
See this I COOKED a Brisket for a MONTH and this happened! and Can Viewers SAVE a 1-month BRISKET? of a brisket cooked in 55C and 60C for 1 month. It smells very bad! So they proved (twice) that the ...
1
vote
2answers
243 views
How many cells are in one granule of instant yeast? [closed]
I'm purely curious and google has failed me.
1
vote
1answer
181 views
Reducing acidity without creating “soapy” taste
It is well known that sugar is used to reduce the acidity in tomato sauce.
Yet there is no chemical reaction going, just a shift in taste. The PH remains the same. (Does adding sugar to tomato type ...
2
votes
1answer
72 views
Yogurt, overcoked
I have a yogurt maker - I heat the milk, add the starter and plug it in. Easy peasy! After 7 - 9 hours, I (usually) unplug the maker and put the yogurt in the refrigerator overnight and it's ready to ...
0
votes
1answer
259 views
Why don't I have to refrigerate store-bought baby food but have to refrigerate home-made purees?
If I make an apple (or fruit) puree at home, the internet says I have to refrigerate it and then only have a couple of days to feed it to my child. But I can go buy a jar of Gerber baby puree off the ...
2
votes
1answer
212 views
What are food additives that help popsicle/shaved ice melt slower?
What are food additives that help popsicle/shaved ice melt slower?
Simple popsicle ingredients: water, sugar, flavoring
I used agar agar and gelatin before, but don’t want to: The texture is not ...
4
votes
2answers
159 views
How tight should the lid be when braising?
Much of the braising guidance I've read emphasizes the importance of a tight-fitting lid. For example, in All About Braising, pp. 18-19, Molly Stevens provides instructions for sealing a braising pot ...
2
votes
2answers
167 views
Crispy cold fried chicken
James Beard rhapsodized about cold fried chicken, and I agree with him: not as good as fresh, but still the best thing at the picnic. Of course, if you pull the chicken out of the fryer, encase it in ...
0
votes
3answers
746 views
how to calculate a standard drink from the alcohol percentage?
Part science, part arithmetic question.
For alcohol with proof x what volume constitutes a single drink?
Defining a standard drink as 14 grams of alcohol:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
5
votes
1answer
77 views
How are powdered emulsifiers (such as monoglycerides) prepared for use in cooking and baking?
Recently I picked up a few different types of emulsifiers in bulk powder form when I saw them in passing at a catering wholesaler.
Having never used powdered emulsifiers before in cooking or baking, ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Sourdough starter at elevation
I started my starter from a friends thanksgiving gift of a sample. I live at 6200 ft. Elevation. My issue i've run in to is after feeding it grows and bubbles within 4 hours and thickens. The next day ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
What are the visual signs of uncontaminated margarine spoilage? [closed]
What are the safety thresholds for uncontaminated margarine? How does the type of emulsion system affect its shelf life?
2
votes
2answers
70 views
Sources or name of study concentrated on basic ingridient combinations for basic recepies [closed]
I am new to cooking and I was always wondering if there is a study for the amount of time to cook different type of styles:
What are the most basic ingredients to make a batter for deep frying?
What ...
2
votes
0answers
225 views
How/Why Does Broth Burn?
When simmering a basic chicken or beef broth (bones/meat/onion/carrot/spices) the result generally improves with time until, often, after a long time (on the order of 12-24 hours) the broth and solids ...
1
vote
3answers
170 views
How can I make my sauces shelf stable, other than adding acid into it since my recipe doesn't include much of it?
I would like to be able to can and sell my own sauces (brown gravy sauce, chile paste sauce). There isn't much acid in the recipe of the chile paste, and Mason Jar for pressure canning is cost ...
2
votes
1answer
138 views
How to infuse vanilla into bourbon (or other spices into liquor) using low heat without reducing alcohol proof?
I want to make and serve a vanilla bourbon, so I want to maintain as much of the alcohol as possible--ideally all of it. I've tried nitrous and room temperature infusions with various amounts of ...
3
votes
1answer
434 views
Ascorbic Acid (Vit C powder) with Baking Soda = Single Acting Baking Powder?
For my gluten free baking, I "have to"* make my own single acting baking powder. I use 2 parts cream of tartar and 1 part baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). It's been fairly successful.
I would like ...
8
votes
1answer
527 views
What stops my pickles from turning into alcohol?
Just trying to learn the difference between lactic fermentation and alcoholic fermentation.. I'm a bit confused - is the only thing stopping my pickles from becoming an alcoholic beverage is the salt?
...
22
votes
4answers
10k views
Can something have more sugar per 100g than the percentage of sugar that's in it?
If this is the wrong place to ask this, please direct me to the correct place.
I am a big fan of cereal, and I like to eat a fair amount, but don't like to have too much sugar. I recently started ...
1
vote
1answer
35 views
Would refrigeration lengthen shelf life for this water sweetener?
Ingredients: vegetable glycerin, purified water, citric acid, malic acid, natural flavor, stevia leaf extract, sodium citrate.
Container is about 2-3 ounces.
It says on the container: "Does not ...
1
vote
1answer
394 views
Pressure canning tomatoes without added acid
I'd like to pressure can tomatoes without adding acid as recommended by the USDA (and outlined here). The reason being is, imo, the additional acid ruins the flavor.
My understanding of the official ...
