FoodWorks-International® 

Browning verses Caramelizing

Caramelizing

When ever the majority of people speak about browning they unfortunately mix the concepts together and think that all

actions of browning are the same.

True, heat is the application that is used to achieve the end result, but the nature of the process is different.

One has to consider the nature of the ingredient that is being browned

Is it a protein or is it sugar (Sucrose) based?     because the reactions are different

Caramelizing involves a series of complex chemical reactions that still can be a little mystifying and not totally understood

by all food science majors.

Sugar (sucrose) needs to be dehydrated through the application of heat and once that has been achieved, then the polymers

will form into large molecules which have been made up of smaller molecules that are bound together in long chains.

Sugar needs to be heated to around 365° F. in order for it to melt into a colorless liquid, as the temperature is increased

then a yellow color will appear followed by a light brown color and so on to a darker appearance of color

Some of these large molecules will portray some bitter flavors and will be responsible for for the brown color which will

be visible.

During the process of heat application a unique pungent sweetness, develops which will continue until an increasingly

bitter taste is produced.

If  the sugar has had too much heat applied to it then the sugar will be decomposed into water vapor and thus will

support black carbon. What would normally be considered as the point of being "burnt".

Maillard Protein Reaction

If amino acids are the predominant factor in the item that is being browned, then the process takes on the

different role. One has to still remember that there will be a very small proportion of sugar in the item as well.

As high temperature is applied to the protein then chemical reactions which will be known as Maillard

reactions, these were named after a French biochemist  " Louis Maillard 1878 - 1936.

Part of the sugar molecule (the aldehyde group) reacts with the nitrogen part of the protein molecule

(the amino group) and consequently a complex reaction will begin in which the polymers will begin to

color as will a flavor profile develop.

Maillard protein reaction, as it is more commonly known and understood by food scientists, is where color,

texture and flavor is created through using heat application on protein items.

This nature of reaction is primarily responsible for the color of meat and fish that has been exposed to high

temperatures in which a flavor profile along with a textures are also developed.

Baked breads and onions that have been colored through heat application can also be placed into this

category, because sugar and protein have both been exposed equally to the process at the same time.