Preface xi

Acknowledgments xiii

About the Authors xv

About the Companion Website xvii

1 Atoms, Elements, Compounds, and Molecules 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Fundamentals of Food and Cooking 2

1.3 The Real Shape of Food: Molecular Basics 5

1.4 Properties of Covalent Molecules 13

References 31

2 Macromolecules of Food and Cooking 35

Part I: Macromolecules 35

2.1 Macromolecules (Proteins, Sugars, and Fats) 35

Part II: Protein 37

2.2 Proteins 37

Part III: Carbohydrates 47

2.3 Sugars Are Carbohydrates 47

Part IV: Fats 57

2.4 Lipids (Fats, Oils, Waxes, Phospholipids, and Fatty Acids) 57

Part V: Emulsions and Emulsifiers 69

2.5 Emulsions and Emulsifiers 69

Part VI: Nucleic Acid 76

2.6 Nucleic Acid: The Fourth Biological Macromolecule 76

References 80

3 Flavor and Color in Food and Drink: Browning Reactions 85

3.1 Introduction 85

3.2 Chemical Reaction Kinetics 87

3.3 The Maillard Reaction 89

3.4 Factors that Impact Maillard Reaction Browning: pH, Temperature, and Time 94

3.5 Maillard Is Complicated 97

3.6 Caramelization: Browning Beyond the Maillard 97

3.7 Ascorbic Acid Browning 109

3.8 Enzyme-catalyzed Browning 110

3.9 Overview 115

References 118

4 Milk and Ice Cream 121

4.1 Introduction 122

4.2 Biology and Chemistry of Milk: Sugar, Protein, and Fats 125

4.3 Ice Cream 143

References 149

5 Cheese 153

5.1 Introduction 153

5.2 Milk Curdling and Coagulation 155

5.3 Casein 156

5.4 Whey 160

5.5 More Milk Curdling 160

5.6 Lactobacteria and Fermentation 164

5.7 Removing Moisture From the Cheese 167

5.8 Ripening or Affinage 171

5.9 Blue Cheeses, Molds, and Chemistry 173

5.10 The Smelly Cheeses: Muster and Limburger 175

5.11 Cooking with Cheese 176

5.12 Processed Cheeses 178

References 181

6 Fruits and Vegetables 184

6.1 Introduction 185

6.2 Plant Parts and Their Molecules 185

6.3 Plants Are Comprised of Different Types of Complex Carbohydrates 189

6.4 Harvesting, Cooking, and Eating Plants 196

6.5 Cooking Plants 198

6.6 Colorful and Flavorful Fruits and Vegetables 205

References 219

7 Meat and Fish 223

7.1 Introduction 224

7.2 Muscle Motors: How Muscle Works 224

7.3 Muscle Organization 226

7.4 Tender Connections 229

7.5 Red or White Meat 233

7.6 Death and Becoming Meat 237

7.7 Flavor in Fish and Shellfish 242

7.8 Plant-based Meat Alternative 245

7.9 Cooking Meat 249

References 257

8 Eggs, Custards, and Foams 261

8.1 Introduction 261

8.2 What Is An Egg? 262

8.3 Inside An Egg 265

8.4 Egg Freshness 267

8.5 Egg Protein 268

8.6 Egg Fats 272

8.7 Cooking Egg Protein 273

8.8 Custards 276

8.9 Egg White Foams 278

8.10 Egg Pasteurization 281

8.11 Heating Egg Protein Causes Chemical Reactions 282

References 288

9 Bread, Cakes, and Pastry 291

9.1 Introduction 292

9.2 Wheat-based Flour, Where It Comes From and Its Components 292

9.3 Carbohydrates in Flour 293

9.4 Wheat Proteins and Gluten Formation 296

9.5 Gluten, Fumaric Acid, and Tortillas 299

9.6 Yeast-raised Bread 299

9.7 Control of Gluten Formation 304

9.8 The Rising Bread 305

9.9 The Punch and Second Rise 307

9.10 Baking 308

9.11 Other Ingredients in Bread 312

9.12 Gluten and Celiac Disease 312

9.13 Muffins and Batter Breads 313

9.14 Chemical Leavening Agents 314

9.15 Cakes 316

9.16 Pastries: Flaky Pie Crusts and Puff Pastries 321

References 328

10 Seasonings: Salt, Spices, Herbs, and Hot Peppers 331

10.1 Introduction 332

10.2 Salt: Flavor Enhancer and a Driving Force of History 332

10.3 Herbs and Spices 338

10.4 A Closer Look at a Few Herbs and Spices 345

10.5 Medical Uses of Herbs and Spices 360

References 363

11 Beer and Wine 366

11.1 Introduction 367

11.2 Yeast: Metabolic, Ethanol-producing Factories 368

11.3 Ethanol 373

11.4 Alcohol and the Body 378

11.5 Beer 391

11.6 Oenology: The Science of Wine and Winemaking 401

11.7 Sake Rice Wine 422

References 426

12 Nonalcoholic Beverages 429

12.1 Caffeine 429

12.2 Coffee 435

12.3 Tea 449

References 465

13 Sweets: Chocolates and Candies 468

13.1 Introduction 469

13.2 Sugars and Sweeteners 469

13.3 Properties of Sucrose-based Sugars and Use in the Kitchen 471

13.4 Inverted Sugars 472

13.5 Liquid Syrup Sweeteners 473

13.6 Chocolate 475

13.7 Chocolate Production 477

13.8 Fermentation 478

13.9 Cacao Bean Roasting: The Process 480

13.10 Flavors of Chocolate 480

13.11 Grinding and Milling: Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Powder 481

13.12 Conching 482

13.13 Tempering 483

13.14 Chocolate Bloom 486

13.15 Chocolate Bloom and Chocolate Chip Cookies 487

13.16 Cooking with Chocolate 488

13.17 Chocolate-coated, Filled Candies 488

13.18 Different Types of Chocolate and Chocolate-like Products 489

13.19 Candy 490

13.20 Non-crystalline Candies: Hard Candies and Caramels 496

13.21 Crystalline Candies: Rock Candy and Fudge 497

13.22 Aerated Candies: Marshmallows 499

References 503

14 The Science of Taste, Smell, and Flavor 506

14.1 Introduction 506

14.2 The Physiology of Taste, Smell, and Flavor 507

14.3 Gustation: The Basics of Taste 510

14.4 Why Do We Taste? 515

14.5 Gustation: Signaling Receptors, Cells, and Tissue 516

14.6 Gustation: Membrane Proteins, Membrane Potential, and Sensory Transduction 519

14.7 Tasting Through Receptors or Transporters 523

14.8 Olfaction, The Other Way To Taste: Basics of Signal Transduction 530

14.9 Texture, Temperature, and Pain 533

14.10 The Absence of Taste and Smell 533

14.11 Conclusion 534

References 538

15 Metabolism of Food: Microorganisms and Beyond 541

15.1 Introduction 541

15.2 The Basics of the Cell 542

15.3 Introduction to Basic Metabolism 547

15.4 Catabolism of Glucose (Glycolysis or Fermentation): Glucose To Pyruvate 551

15.5 Fates of Pyruvate: Now What? 553

15.6 Aerobic Respiration: The Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle and Oxidative Phosphorylation 555

15.7 The Electron Transport Chain 557

15.8 Additional Metabolic Fates of Pyruvate: Fermentation 560

15.9 Metabolism of Other Sugars 562

15.10 Metabolism and Degradation of Fats 562

15.11 Metabolism of Proteins and Amino Acids 564

References 571

Appendix A.1 574

Answers 577

Index 591