In some cuisines, fish recipes include lemon garnish or a vinegar sauce such as sweet and sour sauce. Why these common culinary techniques might be used in terms of organic chemistry?

Answer 1

Addison Armstrong

Lemon garnish and vinegar sauce are used to provide a "tangy" taste to the food.

The "tang" comes from the acids in the foods.

Citrus fruits like lemons contain citric acid.

The molecule contains three carboxylic acid groups, so we can write its dissociation as

#"H"_3"C"_6"H"_5"O"_7 +"H"_2"O" ⇌ "H"_2"C"_6"H"_5"O"_7^(-) + "H"_3"O"^+#

Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid in water.

#"CH"_3"COOH" +"H"_2"O" ⇌ "CH"_3"COO"^(-) + "H"_3"O"^+#

The hydronium ions cause the taste cells to fire in in a specific manner that gives the characteristic taste sensation.

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Answer 2

Jacob Anderson

Lemon garnish and vinegar sauce enhance fish dishes by adding acidity. Acids denature proteins in fish, leading to a tender texture. They also enhance flavor perception by activating taste receptors. Additionally, acid can neutralize fishy odors through chemical reactions with volatile amines.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.