Food and Cooking Chemistry
Want to learn some chemistry? Look no further than your kitchen! Discover the science of preparing food items such as cheese, strawberries, grilled meat, and more.
- Clear Pumpkin Pie
Transparent pumpkin pie? These Massachusetts high school students have done it! Learn how. - Molecular Gastronomy Cooks Up Strange Plate-Fellows
Cauliflower and cocoa? Um, sure. Flavor-pairing theory comes up with some surprises. - Smell of Success
This chemical engineering prof wants you to be able to text a friend a smell. Which would you choose? - Flavor Chemistry Research
What makes a strawberry smell like a strawberry? And can we add it to something else? - How To Taste Food Like a Flavor Chemist
Crush. Mix. Smell. Taste. What do you observe? How does it change? - Your Sense of Taste
The tongue and taste buds usually get star billing. Is that all that’s being used when you pop a candy in your mouth? - Lollipop Flavor Mixing
These youngsters created their own designer flavor combos. Try (and taste) it yourself! - The Chemistry of Flavour
Watch others cook, taste, and smell in these videos. Then, connect chemistry to what you see.
- Make a Secret Marshmallow Message
Make Maillard and a marshmallow your messengers. - Pretzels and pH — Hacking the Maillard Reaction
Give your pretzel dough a dunk before it bakes. Which pH helps give the perfect result? - Why Bacon Smells So Good
Bacon makes everything better, so they say. The question is, why? - Smell the Maillard Reaction
Sugars and amino acids. A simple combo, with complex flavor results. - The Chemistry of Barbecue
Fire up the grill for summertime smoky flavor—thanks to chemistry. - The Maillard Reaction Turns 100
It’s “the most widely practiced chemical reaction in the world.” Have you Maillard-ed lately? - Good News for Grilling
Worried about those not so tasty carcinogens from grilled meat? Pepper punches back. - Charcoal Grilling Tastes Better Than Gas
It’s the ultimate showdown. Charcoal vs. gas. Which grill will win?
- Separating Egg Whites and Egg Yolks
An empty water bottle can be the perfect kitchen tool. Try this trick and see for yourself. - Eating Nails for Breakfast
Yum! Iron never tasted so good! Find this fortification in your breakfast bowl. - Marshmallow Man Meets the Vacuum Pump
Mr. Marshmallow, say hello to... an unfortunate pressure change. - Cotton Candy Coffee
You might have had cotton candy at the fair, but what about at the coffeehouse? This cloud sweetens your cup. - Investigations of Chemicals in Natural Food Coloring
Natural food dyes are in your grocery store. What can you do with their chemistry? - Dried-Olive Soil, Goat Cheese Foam and Radishes
“Dirt” never tasted so delicious. - Food Dehydration Technology
Instant mashed potatoes are a staple in some households. Learn how they became a historic landmark. - White Chocolate Milk Splash
This “milk” looks caught in mid splash. How did they do it? - Milk: The Scoop on Chemical and Physical Changes
These dairy products might be part of your daily diet. How did they get to their current state?
- Magic Butterfly Pea Lemonade
Use the colorful chemistry of the tea to create a color-change lemonade drink. - Naked Egg
Take away an egg’s shell—no cracking required. - Fried Green Egg Food Science Project
Be the Sam-I-Am of science class with colorful chemistry cooking. - Exploring the Science of Marinades
Feel free to get a little saucy with this cooking challenge. What makes the best marinade mixture?
- Sweet and Sour Science You Can Taste
Your mouth becomes the science lab. How does it make the reaction happen? - Experiment with Fermentation Using Kombucha
Brew up this tea- and sugar-based mixture, then consider its chemistry. - Kombucha
What’s going on in this popular beverage? - Kimchi Chemistry
Monitor (and taste) a homemade batch of kimchi as it ferments over time.
- Hot Ice Cream
Ready to warm up with some ice cream? A special ingredient turns ice cream on its head. - Glass Potato Chips
With potato chips, they say you can’t eat just one. Does it also hold true for glass potato chips? - Agar Agar Spaghetti Recipe
Create an unexpected taste experience with agar agar—a sweet spaghetti. - Edible Plastic Pouches
Eat your dessert. Then eat the container. - Saltwater Taffy
This candy recipe gives you an arm workout at the same time. Why do you need to pull taffy?
- Saltwater Taffy
This candy recipe gives you an arm workout at the same time. Why do you need to pull taffy? - Spherification Potluck
Have a spherification potluck! What other foods can you find to turn into spheres? - What Is Jell-O?
There’s always room for Jell-O, especially when you’re learning about food chemistry. - Bringing Chemistry to the Kitchen
Jump to pages 10–12 in this issue and feast your eyes on some gastronomical wonders. - From Sauce to Solid: The Science of Cranberry Condiments
Will your cranberries be sauce? Or solid? Science has the final say.
- Get Cooking with Chemistry
Head to the lab—that is, your kitchen—to get some experiments started. - Strawberry DNA
That red, ripe summer berry is bursting with flavor—and DNA. - Cooking with Chemistry
It’s a cookbook and textbook rolled into one. Pick a recipe to try, while learning chemistry at the same time. - Kitchen Chemistry Course
This MIT online course is free AND flavorful. Make a recipe, then explore readings that show you the science. - Food Science Experiments
These lab resources for high school students are ready to roll. - Edible Experiments
It’s a baker’s dozen of videos each served up with a tasty experiment. Try your favorite pair. - Food Fight!
Dream up and develop your own new food product, complete with package design and display. - ChemClub Cookbook
High school chemistry students share their fave recipes and food-based experiments, with the science behind each one. - Terrific Science Foods & Flavors
These more advanced experiments take your food exploration to the next level. Special equipment required! - Thanksgiving Experiments
Cold potatoes, indigestion, and broken bones don't sound like a fun Thanksgiving, but they are part of some fun food experiments!
- Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Food doesn’t have to be just a meal—it can be your career! Learn what it takes. - Curious Cook
Food science author Harold McGee jumps from caramelization to fava beans to bacteria in his eclectic blog. - Kitchen Alchemy
Food and science meet in this collection of articles, including the fluffiest cheese you may have ever seen. - Developing a High School Food Chemistry Elective
A new chemistry class was in the works. It all started with water. - Food Chemistry in the High School Classroom
This chemistry teacher liberally mixes food into her curriculum. See what she and her students are cooking up. - Food Chemistry Infographics
Plenty of infographics here that will make you hungry to learn more. - The Science of Cooking
It’s like a virtual museum, for food. Explore pickles, eggs, bread, and more. - The Great Thanksgiving Chemistry Debates
White vs. dark meat. Thick vs. thin gravy. What's your preference? - Turkey Day Chemistry in the Kitchen
Use science to create the perfect holiday meal, from turkey to mashed potatoes to pie.
(all sites accessed October 2021)
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