Chemical Reactions Involved in Cooking and Baking

It is no secret that chemistry is all around us. It is a pure science subject that is involved in the study of matter and the chemical reactions between substances. We can see examples of chemistry all around us, through simple observation. 

For chemistry students, these observations skills can be used for greater understanding of chemistry chapters and effective exam preparation for the final exams. This is because, along with studying the chapters from the textbook and practicing past papers, it is also important to understand the real-life application of these concepts. This knowledge will impress the examiner and score you greater marks on the final exam. It will also be useful if you choose to pursue chemistry further in your life. 

So, to get you excited about observing the different chemical reactions all around you, here are some examples of chemical reactions that take place in the kitchen, while cooking or baking. 

Emulsions

All chemistry students are familiar with the concept of emulsions; which occurs when two substances combine that normally would not be combined together. For example, it is commonly known that water and oil do not mix. In the kitchen, emulsification is a common practice. For instance, oil, egg yolk, and an acid such as vinegar are emulsified in order to create smooth and creamy mayonnaise. Similarly, butter is an emulsion created with water and fat. Consider these examples when studying the process of emulsification for your final exams. 

Diffusion

Diffusion refers to the movement of molecules from a high concentration area to a lower concentration area. This is a concept that all chemistry students study for their final exams, and there are several examples of this. Diffusion is also an extremely important concept in the kitchen. For example, when meat is placed in a brine (salt water solution), then the molecules from the salt travel from the water solution (high concentration area) to the meat (low concentration area). This is how meat gets is salty flavor when cooked. There are many more examples of diffusion and osmosis in the kitchen, including marinating, pickling, and cooking pasta. Visualizing these examples can make it much easier to understand the concepts of diffusion and osmosis during exam preparation. 

Acid and Alkali Reaction

Chemical reactions involving acids and alkalis can be prominently found in baking processes. Chemistry students are familiar with the baking soda and vinegar volcano experiment, where an acid (vinegar) is added to a base (baking soda) in order to create a chemical reaction, or explosion. When baking, this chemical reaction is used to leaven baked goods, or in other words, to make baked goods “rise”. When baking soda is added into a cake recipe with an acid, such as buttermilk or lemon juice, the base reacts with the acid to create carbon dioxide. When it goes in the oven, these gas bubbles expand, giving you puffy and leavened baked goods. This concept can help you understand acid and alkali chemical reactions for your exam preparation. 

Enzymes and Catalysts

This is another concept that chemistry students are familiar with from their exam preparation. Catalysts are substances that can speed up a chemical reaction without becoming part of the reaction products. Enzymes are considered to be catalysts as they are proteins that speed up the rate of chemical reactions in a cell. Enzymes are used as catalysts during baking processes. For example, when baking bread, enzymes are used as catalysts to break down complex sugars into simple sugars, which are needed for yeast to feed on to begin the fermentation process. Understanding the process of bread-making can help you understand the function of enzyme catalysis for your exam preparation. 

These are just some examples of chemical reactions that take place in the kitchen. Observing and understanding these applications of chemistry can give you a better understanding of this subject, which will help you perform better on the final exam. There are so many other examples of chemistry applications in our daily lives that can be used as examples in the final exams. You can find these examples by applying your chemistry knowledge to different areas of your life. Good luck!

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