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Questions tagged [chemistry]

Questions about the chemical composition or properties of ingredients and dishes.

186 questions
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How to increase the temperature of my double boiler?

I have a double boiler that I wish to use to prepare a batch of fudge. The recipe I am using calls for heating to 240°F (=116°C), but a double boiler is limited to the boiling point of the working fluid used, so plain water, boiling at only 100°C,…
AJMansfield
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Why are there holes in pasta dough when it is cold

I made some pasta dough this morning and put it in the fridge. When I ran the first batches thru the roller there were some holes in the pasta after it came out of the roller. But for later batches, when the pasta heated up from being out of the…
bernie2436
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Why does spinach lose its texture when cooked?

I know that cooking spinach until it loses its texture is called wilting, but what is the chemical process that is going on. It it losing moisture? If so why does it look so moist? Thanks!
David
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How can I clean these brown iron stains in my pot?

I use a big aluminium pot to boil water. I think the water contains iron because after 4-6 months, the inside of the pot is full of brown stains. The colour is just like ferric. There are lots of circular brown areas (1-4mm diameter) in the pot.…
Shiplu Mokaddim
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Why does chewing gum sometimes change its texture

Although this is more a general food related question, I wonder why chewing gum sometimes changes its texture and looses its chewy quality?
Besi
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Type of silk to use for making tea bags

I am investigating the possibility of making my own reusable tea bags. There are several types of textiles to choose from, each with their own pros and cons: Paper tea bags are cheap and common, but tend to impart a bleach-like flavor onto the…
Andrew Jackson
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Can one create any flavor combination by breaking down the five modalities of taste into their chemical form and adjusting proportions accordingly?

Can one create any flavor combination by breaking down the five modalities of taste into their chemical form and adjusting proportions accordingly? Namely, if you broke down sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness, and umami into their rawest…
user93337
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Food grade lye on counter tops

Long ago, I bought some food grade lye to make pretzels. Then I became afraid to use it cause I didn't think about the potential damage it could cause to my sink and some baking materials. Specifically, baking sheets and my kitchen counter top. This…
Rob
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Nixtamalization: Am I doing it right?

It's been a few years since I nixtamalizated the last time with the help of my Chilean friend. Now I'm on my own and due to several contradicting information on the internet a little lost. Maybe someone can advice me on what and if I did something…
Qohelet
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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 part of creating a roux is the gelatinization of the…
Soulis
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What influence does the properties of fat in vegetable oil affect emulsification of oil?

I am trying to make vegan mayonnaise. In my first attempt I used soy milk and corn oil as the major ingredients. I tried adding lemon juice instead of vinegar as the emulsifying agent and used the immersion blender to blend. However I could not get…
One Face
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Matzoon and lactose chemistry

Could you make matzoon from lactose free milk? Or, are sour bacteria eating it away to unproblematic amount in terms of lactose intolerance? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matzoon
J. Doe
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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 need refrigeration. For best quality use within 30…
larry909
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cooldown chemistry of seasoning cast iron with flaxseed

So I have started seasoning cookware with thin layers of flaxseed oil as per the advice from @sheryl_canter with simply outstanding results. Thank you Sheryl! I have a mountain of pans to process so I'm starting to wonder how necessary it is to…
goboating
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Are there any cold paddles that are BPA free?

There have been previous discussions on the cold paddles to use to rapidly cool soups, etc. One of the more common ones in the San Jamar line. However, on their website, it says that there is some possible exposure to chemicals like BPA when using…
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