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Food Chemistry

Faking flavours with chemistry: The science of artificial flavours – in C&EN

For over a century, chemists have made flavour molecules to evoke particular tastes. How do they know which compounds create a particular flavour, and how do they make these molecules? The latest edition of Periodic Graphics in Chemical & Engineering News takes a look. Visit the C&EN site to view the full graphic. View all the […]

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Food Chemistry

The Chemistry of Bell Peppers – Colour and Aroma

Bell peppers come in a range of hues, from fresh greens to vibrant reds. Chemical pigments are behind these, but what changes to cause peppers to travel through this spectrum of colours? Here we take a look at the compounds behind the colours (as well as some pepper aroma chemistry) – and find that peppers […]

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Food Chemistry

The Chemistry of Elderflowers & Elderberries: Aroma, Colour, & Toxicity

In late May and early June, the winding pathways of the English countryside are festooned with the delicate white blooms of the elderflower. As the end of the summer eventually arrives, these blooms will have been transformed, and the bushes will be heaving under the weight of clusters of hundreds of small, purple-black berries. In this post, […]

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Food Chemistry

A Guide to Common Fruit Acids

Most people probably know that citric acid is the source of a lemon’s sourness and acidity. However, it’s not the only acid found in fruits, or even in lemons. In fact, there are a whole range of different acids, with the particular ones present varying from fruit to fruit. This graphic takes a look at […]

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Food Chemistry

The Chemistry of Camembert

The creaminess of camembert is bested by few other cheeses – but it also has a strong smell to rival blue cheeses that reminds you of its presence in your fridge! Additionally, unlike many other cheeses, as it’s left for longer its insides start to become more gooey. Here we take a look at some […]

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Food Chemistry

Baking Bread: The Chemistry of Bread-Making

Though chemistry teachers might have to regularly field questions about the chemistry of ‘Breaking Bad’ these days, baking bread is probably more likely to figure on a list of their recreational activities. Bread-making is a process that seems simple, essentially involving the mixing of just four ingredients. However, there’s a lot more chemistry to it […]