Food Science
2 breaks
The chemistry happening in your kitchen.
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Chilli isn't hot: capsaicin trips the heat alarm on your tongue
A chilli is exactly as warm as the room. There is no heat in it at all. The burn comes from capsaicin, a molecule that pries open TRPV1, the gate in your…
Why popcorn pops, and why some kernels never do
A popcorn kernel is a tiny, sealed pressure vessel. Its hard shell traps water inside the starchy core until heat turns that water to steam, and pressure…