Behind the crust golden that forms on the meat while it cooks or the aroma that a slice of freshly toasted bread releases hides a reaction chemistry fundamental for cooking, known as the Maillard reaction. This reaction (actually there are many reactions) is responsible for the formation of colors and gods aromas which characterize many of our favorite dishes. But how exactly does it happen? What does it take for this to happen? We fuck it in this article.
What is the Maillard reaction and when does it happen?
The Maillard reaction is most famous for its role in the processes Of cooking of meat, fish, baked goods, vegetables and many other foods.
In reality, the Maillard reaction is not one single chemical reaction, but a complex set of chemical reactions involving sugars And proteins. Specifically, the starting reagents are reducing sugars (like glucose) e amino acids (protein building block).
These “ingredients” react with each other, giving rise to a series of compounds that give color and aroma to foods and therefore influence the taste.
There are two fundamental conditions for this reaction to occur quickly enough to see its effects:
- Temperature above i 140°C. At this temperature, the reaction occurs quickly enough to be compatible with food cooking times. If the temperature rises too much, beyond i 200°Cthere is a risk that the food will burn, leading to a process of carbonization. On the other hand, if the temperature is too low, the reaction becomes too slow and is not sufficient to produce the desired change in the food.
- Humidity: also the quantity of waterfall in food it is important. If the food is too much dry (therefore with a water concentration that is too low) the reaction struggles to start, since water is necessary to make the sugar and amino acid molecules move and bring each other together. On the contrary, if there is too much waterthe temperature would not be able to exceed 100 °C and therefore the reaction could be too slow.
Speed and temperature: what happens
There speed with which the Maillard reaction occurs depends on the temperature. At higher temperatures, the reaction is more fastallowing the formation of aromatic and colored compounds in the time it takes us to cook a dish. This is why when we cook meat grilled or let’s toast a bread, the cooking times are quite fast and we can see and hear the reaction taking place.
If the temperature is too low, the reaction will be much more slow and it might not be obvious. Moreover, the reaction can also occur at room temperature, but at one speed Like this reduced that we don’t even notice
The products of the Maillard reaction and undesirable effects
Specifically, the main compounds generated by the Maillard reaction are:
- Melanoidins: these compounds are responsible for the color that goes from yellow al dark brownpassing through the brownish clear (depending on the cooking time and temperature) that we see on surface of foods.
- Molecules toromantic: among these we find aldehydes, ketones, pyrroles, furans and many other compounds. These molecules are volatile, meaning they evaporate easily at room temperature, allowing us to perceive their scent.
The difference between Maillard and caramelization
Be careful though! The Maillard reaction should not be confused with the caramelization. While the Maillard reaction involves sugars and proteins, caramelization is about exclusively sugarswhich at temperatures above 160 °C react with each other, producing compounds colourful And aromatic. Although both reactions can occur simultaneously during cooking, they are two very different chemical processes.
