What happens chemically when cooking food?

Answer 1

Water, oxygen, among various others.

Answer 2

A biochemist and cook explains that cooking is all about chemistry and knowing some facts can help chefs understand why recipes go wrong. Because cooking is essentially a series of chemical reactions, it is helpful to know some basics. For example, plunging asparagus into boiling water causes the cells to pop and result in a brighter green. Longer cooking, however, causes the plant's cell walls to shrink and releases an acid. This turns the asparagus an unappetizing shade of grey. You love to cook, but have you whipped up some disasters? Even the best recipes can sometimes go terribly wrong. A nationally recognized scientist and chef says knowing a little chemistry could help. 'Cooking is chemistry,' said Corriher. "It's essentially chemical reactions." Long before she was a cook, Shirley Corriher was a biochemist. She says science is the key to understanding what goes right and wrong in the kitchen.

Answer 3

[There are many books on the chemistry of cooking...]

Physical changes:

• Desiccation. Foods evaporate water when cooked.
• Become more dense. Gaining density by desiccation is obvious. Meat at higher temperatures squeezes out fat and water (that's the reason some meat tastes dry).
• The food gets hot/cold.
• Sinew and interstitial tissue absorb water.

Chemical changes:

• Proteins and sugars caramelize (brown).
• Microbes, bacteria, and yeast are killed.
• Fats are broken into simpler fats and soap (Yes! Really!).
• Leavens (baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, etc.) break down generating CO2

Answer 4

It depends on who's doing the cooking and what kind of wine they're drinking at the time.