Chemistry For Your Life What happens to eggs when we cook them? (with Jason Cress)
Aug 15, 2024
Joining the conversation is Jason Cress, a former co-host and seasoned breakfast chef. He dives into the fascinating transformations of eggs during cooking, unraveling the chemistry behind why they change from clear goo to a delightful white jiggle. The discussion also touches on the roles of proteins and amino acids, showcasing how heat alters their structure. With personal anecdotes and relatable analogies, Jason emphasizes the joy of cooking eggs while reflecting on gratitude during Thanksgiving.
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Jason's Memorable Omelet
- Jason Cress is a skilled breakfast chef who made a memorable omelet that converted Jam Robinson to liking eggs.
- His skill and recipe set a high bar for omelets, influencing Jam's egg appreciation.
Protein Denaturing in Eggs
- Cooking eggs applies heat that denatures proteins by breaking their intramolecular forces without breaking primary bonds.
- Denatured proteins stretch out and aggregate, forming a solid matrix that changes eggs from liquid to solid.
Egg Proteins as Polymers
- Proteins in eggs are polymers, long chains of amino acids folded into complex shapes.
- Their folding creates secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures that define their properties before cooking.
