Cookery is simple applied organic chemistry.
there is some very interesting, and often difficult, chemistry around the science of food and its preparation.
Here are a few simple demonstrations that illustrate a few areas of food chemistry. More will follow.
(All except the ester formation are low hazard so no risk assessment is needed)
Changing chocolate – A demonstration of different crystal dructures of cocoa butter.
Esters – A quick synthesis of some esters found in pear drops.
Maillard reaction – A simple demonstration of one of the factors affecting Maillard reactions.
Structural Subtlety – Demonstration of how the human nose can distinguish enantiomers of carvone.
Taste and aroma – Simple demonstration of the importance of aroma in what we normally consider to be taste.
Taste and genetics – Using simple test papers to investigate the genetics of taste.
Toothpaste and orange juice – The chemistry and physiology explaining why orange juice tastes so horrible after you have brushed your teeth.
