Apple Turns Brown

  ''An apple a day, keep doctor away!"









Have you ever go through this situation?

Your friend calls you up while you just start eating an apple, when you come back to it after awhile, your apple turns into brown all over. Hmmmm…what happened?

Your apple has actually RUSTED!

Why do cut apples turn brown?

The reason is simple! Because apples and others (e.g., pears, bananas, peaches, potatoes) are rich in iron-containing phenols that present in their cells and also contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase or tyrosinase. The cells are being damaged once you cut the apple. Then, oxygen from air will reacts with iron and the enzyme in the apple cells, iron oxides form. This oxidation reaction basically forms a sort of rust on the surface of the fruit. If the browned apple is being cut into two again, you’ll notice that the inside is still white. This is because the cells inside were intact, and did not let oxygen to enter inside.

Here, I want to share with you on how to prevent this reaction :)

1.  Cut and keep the apples under water or vacuum packing it. 
   This reduce amount of air from reaching the iron.
2. Rub the cut apples with lemon juice. 
   The acid in the lemon juice can stop the polyphenol oxidase from working.
3. Add some salt to the apples. The salt stops the enzyme. 

P/S: Do not use cutlery that has some corrosion. Because this will increase the rate and amount of the browning by making more iron salts available for the reaction.

Matches

Do you ever wonder how the matches produce fire? 

When you light a match, a reaction occurred in the tip of the match that contains potassium chlorate (an oxidant), sulfur, starch, glue and some other ingredients. 

The striking surface on the match box contains powdered glass, red phosphorus, and glue. When a match strikes on this surface, the heat of the friction causes a reaction between the potassium chlorate in the match head and the red phosphorus in the striking surface. That way sparks are formed, which finally ignite the match head that continues to burn after that.

 The material of making a matches is red phosphorus. 

A chemical equation of lighting a match is:

16KCl₃ + 3P₄ S₃ --> 16 KCl + 9SO₂

Usually matches that we buy is black phosphorus, but  actually phosphorus can found in three main forms that are white, red, and black.

Red Phosphorus

Black Phosphorus

White Phosphorus

Do you know what is the different between these  three types of phosphorus?

Let's compare these three different match phosphorous.

White phosphorus is a soft, waxy, flammable substance, consisting of tetrahedral P₄ molecules but sometimes it is slightly yellowish because of the presence of impurities, therefore,  it is sometimes also known as yellow phosphorus. White phosphorus is highly reactive, and ignites at about 30°C in moist air. It is also extremely toxic, even in very small quantities. It can produces severe gastrointestinal irritation, diarrhea, and liver damage. It also causes burns when it comes in contact with skin.

Do not underestimate this small white phosphorus, in fact, it can lead your skin burn!

How can we handle white phosphorus, since it is highly reactive?

That  have a few ways to handle those white phosphorus:

It is usually stored under water, this is because to prevent it exposure to the air. 

On the other hand, white phosphorus should be handled with gloves.

Black phosphorus is the least reactive form, and it can be converted to white phosphorus by heating it under pressure.

Red phosphorus is commonly found in the match. It also can be converted to the more reactive white phosphorus by heat, sunlight, or friction. Red phosphorus is used on the strike surface of the box, the friction caused by dragging the match head across the rough surface converts some of the red phosphorus to white phosphorus, which spontaneously ignites, causing the match head to ignite. 

Without the flame, the world will loss it's glory, we wouldn't taste the delicious cooked food. We wouldn't have the candle light in church or while there is no electric.

So, let the flame be eternal, our glory also be eternal! :)

Neutralizer of Spicy Food

 


Do you like spicy food?

but..


What would you do when you are having spicy burn in you mouth?

Now, i am telling you one way to relieve it!!

 The neutralizer of spicy food ---- MILK 

Milk actually will relieve the burn on our tongue more effectively than water. 

The reason for this is because the burn is caused by a chemical called capsaicin in the spices.

Capsaicin, 8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide,

(CH3)2CHCH=CH(CH2)4CONHCH2C6H3-4-(OH)-3-(OCH3) is the active component of chili peppers. It produces a sensation of burning in any tissue with which it comes into contact. 

Capsaicin makes the body to release a substance called P, it is a neurotransmitter that tells the brain that we are in pain. The more we eat food with capsaicin in it, the more resistant we are to substance P. 

Substance P eventually gets depleted from our body and eating hot peppers or other hot food doesn't bother us as much as it did before.

That is why some people can eat a lot of hot spiced food and it does not bother them like it would someone who does not eat hot food. 

A fun fact about Capsaicin is it can release endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals that can make us feel good, that is why some people claim that spicy foods can be addictive. :)

Then why is the milk can be used to neutralize the spicy burn? Here is the reason!

A chemical in milk, casein disengages the capsaicin and allows it to be washed away.Casein is a protein that is found in milk and used independently in many foods as a binding agent.

Casein is a compound that has a chemical structure that attracts capsaicin and pulls it off of your tongue so your mouth doesn't feel so hot. 

Technically, it is part of a group called phosphoproteins, collections of proteins bound to something containing phosphoric acid. This is why milk is the neutralizer for spicy foods. 

That's why it can cool down the burn!! Next time remember grab the milk when you feel spicy, instead of water!  

Garlic---Wonderful Seasoning

Garlic is one of those useful and versatile ingredients that you either love or hate. Most cooking relies on the fragrance from this basic spice, so it is nearly impossible to avoid if you do any amount of cooking at all.

Well, after chopping garlic, you may found out that you have a strong garlic smell on your hands.

Using water? Lemon? Salt? Having try out with many ways but still cannot get rid of the smell efficiently? Very annoying right? No worries, we have the most useful tip on how to shake the smell! :)

The method that I want to tell you now is the most convenience and the best way to remove the garlic odour! It's pretty simple-- rubbing our hands on any iron (steel) after washed with cold water.

Does it sound ridiculous or crazy? Probably you would think that I'm talking nonsense, but before that let me show you one video which demonstrated by Chef Jason Hill.

What is the chemistry behind them?

Garlic

Iron

VS

A chemical named alliin is stored in the garlic tissue. When the garlic cloves being damaged or crushed, an enzyme breaks down alliin into allicin (the smell of fresh garlic) and diallyl disulfide(DADS).

After a relatively short while (30 minutes to 1hour), most of the allicin converts to diallyl disulfide (DADS). Allicin can be use defensively by having anti-insect and antimicrobial properties.

Allicin and DADS have a strong odour like many sulphur containing chemical compounds (i.e skunk urine). Both chemicals also are chemical cousins of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and have particular affinities to iron. Allicin and DADS transport well in iron rich blood because of this affinity. Their perfume is expel in the breath (i.e bad breath), as the blood reaches the lungs. 

Due to this strong iron affinity, we can rub our smelly hands on iron objects (i.e faucet). 

It will bring away these smelly compounds which prefer sticking to iron (steel).

Apparently, it is known amongst old chefs that chopping large amounts of garlic able to dull a knife (probably because of this chemical iron affinity).

So,in order to get rid of the smells of your hands after peeling or chopping garlic, just simply wash your hands and then rub your clean hands on a chrome faucet or the sink right in front of you!

Try it and its really work like magic!!

You hand smell back to normal! *cheers* : D

Pop Rocks Candy

Are you familiar enough with POP ROCKS CANDY?

Or have you ever try a very cool candy that will 'POP POP POP' when you put them in your mouth?

Can you imagine how interesting that a tiny EXPLOSION happen in your mouth? 

Firstly,let’s watch a short Pop Rock Candy’s commercial:

What are Pop Rocks actually?

Pop Rocks is a carbonated candy with ingredients including sugar, lactose (milk sugar), corn syrup, and flavouring. It is different from typical hard candy which it creates a fizzy reaction when it dissolves in the mouth.  It has been gasified with carbon dioxide by using a patented process.

The Pop Rocks Urban Legend

You are likely to have heard about the urban legend if you know Pop Rocks.                                           

There was a rumour: Drinking cola after eating Pop Rocks would cause a person’s stomach to explode.

This is caused by the false assumption that Pop Rocks contain an acid or base mixture (such as baking soda and vinegar) that will produces large volumes of gas when mixed through saliva and chewing process.

MIKEY

A child named Mikey from the Life cereal commercials involved in one of these myths. Mikey was rumoured to have died after eating a Pop Rocks with cola. This rumour is not true and the actor John Gilchrist, who played Mikey, is alive.

Well, Steve and Mark revealed the myth of eating Pop Rocks and drinking soda.                                    

Check it out through this video:

How are Pop Rocks candy made?

Ingredients needed: Sugar, lactose, corn syrup, water, artificial colours and flavours.

1. Heat the ingredients together and boil the mixture to drive off all of the water. 

2. Mix the sugar mixture with carbon dioxide gas at about 600 pounds per square inch (psi).

3. Shatter the candy which each containing bubbles of high pressurized gas into small pieces once it cools.

4. The carbon dioxide was now trapped in each shard. (examine the tiny bubbles that trapped with carbon dioxide using a magnifying glass)

When you place Pop Rocks candy in your mouth, coming into contact with saliva, the candy breaks and dissolves. This allows the pressurized carbon dioxide to escape.

Hence, resulting in a POPPING and SIZZLING sound and leaving a slight tingling sensation!!