Sample interview questions: Can you explain your understanding of the chemical changes that occur during food frying processes?
Sample answer:
Chemical Changes During Food Frying
Frying, a culinary technique, involves submerging food in hot oil, inducing a series of complex chemical reactions:
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Maillard Reaction:
- Occurs between reducing sugars (e.g., glucose) and amino acids (e.g., lysine) in the food’s surface.
- Forms brown pigments, flavor compounds, and volatile molecules.
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Caramelization:
- Involves the heating of sugars in the absence of amino acids.
- Results in the production of brown pigments and a characteristic sweetness.
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Lipid Oxidation:
- Catalyzed by heat and oxygen, leading to the formation of free radicals.
- Can cause breakdown of unsaturated fatty acids, producing harmful compounds.
- Responsible for the development of rancid flavors and loss of nutritional value.
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Starch Gelatinization and Retrogradation:
- Starch granules absorb water and swell, forming a viscous gel-like structure.
- Upon cooling, the gel loses water and recrystalliz… Read full answer