Next time your colleague funks up the break room, consider leaving a passive aggressive copy of this article nearby, so they can understand the chemistry involved.
Articles on Kitchen science
Displaying 1 - 20 of 31 articles
This might change how you think about all your household textiles.
With a little help from science, it’s surprisingly easy to make crystal clear ice in your home freezer.
Liquid fuel fires can be very dangerous, so plan ahead if you want to set your pudding on fire. And remember: more fuel isn’t always better.
It’s a common hack, but it can easily fail you – here’s why.
With a few science-based tips, mangled eggs can become a thing of the past.
You can’t easily swap one for the other – like chemistry, baking is a precise science.
It’s a first-world problem, but it sure is annoying.
Salt and MSG are two well-known food additives. Both contain sodium, but there are plenty of differences you can use to your benefit.
Knowing a little bit of chemistry can help a lot when your mouth is on fire.
We should be eating plenty of fresh produce every day. But throwing away another bunch of wilted herbs is demotivating. Thankfully, there are helpful tips to make produce last.
Want to bring extra life to a glass of champagne or soda water? Physicists will tell you to drop in a small object, such as a berry or raisin.
In a pinch, the water from a can of beans can replace eggs. But how does that work, exactly?
There is a large energy cost to breaking apart and mixing the water and oil layers. The secret to blending them is to add an extra ingredient known as a ‘surfactant’ or emulsifier, like mustard.
Roasting meat sets off a cascade of chemical reactions. With a bit of kitchen chemistry know-how, you can use these reactions to your advantage when you make gravy.
It might seem like a simple concept, but to get ice cream right, you need three states of matter and a delicate interplay of chemistry.
Some people swear by it, while others don’t bother. But what does the evidence say about washing rice, and when should you do it?
Do your ice taste funny? Is there ‘freezer burn’ on your meat? This is why your freezer probably isn’t as clean as you think – but it only takes a few simple steps to fix it.
Why should you not beat your eggs in a plastic bowl? Can you save an over-beaten meringue? And is there a specific sugar you should use?
You know you’ve hit it big when your designs find their way into millions of kitchens – and the Museum of Modern Art.
Top contributors
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Associate Professor in Chemistry and Associate Head Learning and Teaching, University of Tasmania
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Professor in Food Science, University of Southern Queensland
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Honorary Associate Professor, University of Leicester
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Professor (Food Science & Human Nutrition), Singapore Institute of Technology
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Professor of Microbiology, Swinburne University of Technology
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Doctorant en épistémologie et chargé du projet DIM ASTREA, Inrae
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Research Group Leader and Food R&D policy leader, CSIRO
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Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle
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Senior Lecturer in Physics, Queensland University of Technology
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Senior Lecturer, Nutrition and Food Science, Australian Catholic University
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Professor of Agriculture, University of Sydney
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Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, Swinburne University of Technology
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Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, Adelaide University
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Swinburne University of Technology
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Professor of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin-Madison