Science & Food

Science & Food at UCLA Promoting knowledge of science through food, and food through science

[scienceandfood]

Fresh Made Pasta

Paste, the Latin Late antiquity translation for the word Pasta. [3] Eating spaghetti and meatballs today typically involves boiling some dried spaghetti pasta and pouring on some pasta sauce from a jar. But have you ever wondered how to make these golden silky strands of noodles? To start off, we have to sail to China with Marco Polo and learn about the origins of Bing. Read more..

[scienceandfood]

Liquid Nitrogen Gastronomy

Creamistry – n.  the science of creating ice cream using Liquid Nitrogen and not to be confused by the Ice Cream shop with the same name [4]. Ice cream does not seem complicated to make, but contrary to popular belief it is not as simple as just freezing cream and sugar; rather, this complex process requires slowly freezing cream to allow for small ice crystals to form, which results in a creamy ice cream texture.   While the ice cream making process can be long and arduous, liquid nitrogen can enable similar creamy results at a much faster rate.

Photo Credit: Alpha Chi Sigma & Explore Your Universe at UCLA

[scienceandfood]

Maillard Reaction

The flavor reaction.  What makes bread crust brown and tasty? What makes the smell of searing meat so savory and delicious? How can grill marks and black crust on meats, supply such a flavor punch?

Three words: the Maillard reaction.  This simple reaction leads to thousands of flavonoids that impart food with flavors that make us come back for more every time.  The essential components of the Maillard reaction are protein and sugars that lead to flavonoids that make food delicious. Read more...

Photo Credit: Steven Du

[scienceandfood]

The Vegan Way

If you’re living in Los Angeles, there is no doubt that you have noticed the surging popularity of plant-based foods in the dining landscape. Not only are restaurants blooming with new vegan menu options, but there is also a burgeoning growth of plant-based food products emerging in the food industry. Notable newcomers include veggie burgers and dairy-free products including milk, yogurt, and even cheese! We are now welcoming the age of the plant butchers: a group of creative and enterprising culinary geniuses and food scientists who are passionate to develop more sustainable and healthy forms of meat by exploring the world of plant proteins. A new generation of cheesemakers is also emerging, who experiment with using bacteria to develop plant-based ‘dairy’ products. Here, we will debunk how these passionate individuals come up with these creative food innovations. Read more...

Photo Credit: Impossible Foods

[scienceandfood]

We All Scream for...Ice Cream!

As the peak of summer approaches, we here at Science & Food love to reach for one of our favorite frosty treats: the ice cream sandwich. Being true Science & Foodies, we started to wonder about this amazing composite material- how do you get the coexisting chewy cookie yet firm ice cream? We began to search for answers by turning to Natasha Case, founder of the Los Angeles favorite “Coolhaus” which serves gourmet ice cream and ice cream sandwiches. Trained as an architect at both UC Berkeley and UCLA, Natasha merged her experience as an architect with her passion for food in the ideation of Coolhaus. Starting with food trucks and storefronts in LA, Coolhaus is now sold in nationwide grocery stores such as Whole Foods. Read more...

[scienceandfood]

Profile: Brian Bornemann

Brian is currently Executive Sous Chef at The Tasting Kitchen, an ingredient-driven restaurant on Abbott Kinney in Venice that has received much acclaim. Brian is a UCLA alumnus who majored in European Studies and minored in Italian. He was inspired to become a chef after many trips to Italy. Read more...

[scienceandfood]

The Science of Yogurt

Yogurt is an ancient food that has been around for several millennia. One theory of the discovery of yogurt is that during 10,000 - 5,000 BC, when Herdsmen began the practice of milking their animals, they stored their milk in bags made of the intestinal gut of the animals. The intestines contain natural enzymes that cause the milk to curdle and sour. The herdsmen noticed that this method of storing milk extends its shelf life and preserves it. When they consumed the fermented milk, they enjoyed it and so they continued making it. Whether or not this theory is true, the consumption of fermented milk has survived into modern times, and spread throughout the world. Read more...

[scienceandfood]

Why Do Onions Make Us Cry?

We all know that feeling: the burning sensation as we slice into a fresh onion, eyes watering and wincing to relieve the stinging. There are claims that home remedies can solve this problem, including burning a candle, putting the onion in the freezer before chopping, or cutting the onion underwater. In this article we will investigate the culprit behind our onion tears and a possible scientific resolution that has emerged in the 21st century. Read more...

Photo Credit: Tastyart Ltd Rob White/Getty Images

[scienceandfood]

Profile: Evan Funke

Evan Funke, former chef/owner of Bucato, recently embarked upon his next adventure as chef at Venice Beach's new hit restaurant, Felix. Known as a master of handmade pasta, Funke draws inspiration from his trips to Italy as well as California produce. Read more...

Photo Credit: Evan Funke

[scienceandfood]

Instant Noodles

Instant noodles are delicious, cheap, and easy prepare. This combination of traits make instant noodles a seemingly perfect solution for college students’ hectic schedules and depleted bank accounts. Let us take a moment to appreciate what made instant noodles possible - let us savor the science behind this culinary delicacy. Read more...

Photo Credit: Huffington Post

[scienceandfood]

Science & Food 2017 Undergraduate Course

Spring has sprung! Which means we have another stellar lineup of speakers slated for our third annual offering of Science & Food: The Physical and Molecular Origins of What We Eat. Although the course is only open to current UCLA students, we will be posting highlights from the course right here on the blog. Read more...

[scienceandfood]

Science & Food UCLA 2017 Public Lecture Series

FOOD WASTE: Solutions Informed by Science (and what to do with your leftovers)

Tuesday, May 2nd 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm Freud Playhouse, Macgowan Hall

World-renowned chef Massimo Bottura, UCLA professor Jenny Jay, Zero Waste Consultant and “Waste Warrior” Amy Hammes will participate in a panel discussion moderated by Evan Kleiman on “Food waste: solutions informed by science,” hosted by Dr. Amy Rowat, Science and Food, and the UCLA Healthy Campus Initiative. The discussion will focus on measuring the environmental effects of food waste, how policy influences food waste and its relationship to hunger and the environment. Read more...

[scienceandfood]

To Eat With Your Eyes

Interacting with food is an incredibly sensual experience. One might imagine the smell of an oven roast, or picture an oozing chocolate lava cake, maybe even hear the crunch of a stale baguette. But what happens when you lose your sense of smell and taste? Read more...

[scienceandfood]

A Primer on Sake

The origins of sake are largely unknown, but some historians guess that like many fermented foods, its origins arose spontaneously. One such theory suggests that cooked rice was left out in the open, and spaces between the grains harbored hungry molds that fed on the starches. Over time, this leftover rice became alcoholic, and hus sake was born (1). Read more...

[scienceandfood]

Unique Health Benefits of Winter Produce

Winter season is when comfort food seems to take priority over fresh produce. But eating local during winter season is easy! There are plenty of produce that are rich in nutrients and flavor during this time of the year. Winter produce can also be just as tasty and nutritious with some creativity and a little twist. Read on to learn about how these three winter vegetables. Read more...

[scienceandfood]

The Secret in Your Sushi

Dining out or shopping in a grocery store are seemingly straightforward: as the consumer, you make your selection and exchange money for goods. These interactions are based on an implicit trust that you get what you paid for. However, in recent years consumers have begun to demand more transparency with reports of mislabeled seafood at retailers and restaurants being greater than 70% in some instances [1]. Seafood is one of the most traded food items in the world, with approximately 4.5 billion people consuming fish as at least 15% of their source of animal protein [2]. The U.S. is the second largest consumer of seafood in the world behind China and with the recent health recommendations from the American Heart Association elucidating the benefits of fish consumption, sales of this commodity have reached an all-time high [3]. Increased awareness of the environmental burdens of the meat industry have further contributed to this move towards more seafood proteins [4]. The opportunities for seafood mislabeling have consequently increased. Read more...

Photo Credit: Oceana/Jenn Hueting

[scienceandfood]

Capsaicin

Whether it is adding chili flakes to top off your pizza, Tabasco to your omelet, chili oil to your ramen, there’s no doubt adding these condiments can add flavor intensity to all our dishes. Interestingly, the burning sensation is actually not a taste, since the sensation does not arise from taste buds. Capsaicin stimulates nerves that respond only to mild increases in temperature, the ones that give the sensation of moderate warmth [1]. Capsaicin sends two messages to the brain – intense stimulus and warmth. The burning sensation you feel when eating spicy food is due to the combination of these two messages. Read more...

Photo Credit: Essential Oil