Food Meets Science

Food Meets Science Food Meets Science (FMS) is an interdisciplinary project by The Best Chef.

🍔 Does fast food really never spoil?You’ve probably seen photos of burgers or fries that look almost the same after week...
26/09/2025

🍔 Does fast food really never spoil?

You’ve probably seen photos of burgers or fries that look almost the same after weeks, months - even years. But is it magic… or science? 🔬

✅ Low moisture – Many fast food items are cooked at high heat, which removes a lot of water. Without moisture, mould and bacteria struggle to grow.
✅ High salt + fat – Salt is a preservative, and fat slows microbial growth. Both extend shelf life naturally.
✅ Small size – A thin burger patty or fries dry out quickly, turning into something like food “mummies” instead of rotting.
✅ Storage conditions – If kept in a dry environment, food simply dehydrates instead of spoiling.

So, fast food does spoil - but often it just dries out instead of visibly rotting. That’s why old burgers may look intact, but taste and texture are long gone.

👉 The real lesson? It’s not that fast food is “immortal” - it’s just food chemistry at work.






🥩 What is Sous-Vide and why do chefs swear by it?“Sous-vide” is French for under vacuum. It’s a cooking method where foo...
19/09/2025

🥩 What is Sous-Vide and why do chefs swear by it?

“Sous-vide” is French for under vacuum. It’s a cooking method where food is sealed in an airtight bag and gently cooked in a precisely controlled water bath.

🔹Perfect doneness - proteins cook evenly edge-to-edge
🔹Tender texture - slow, low heat breaks down fibres without overcooking
🔹Locked-in flavour - vacuum sealing keeps juices, marinades, and aromas concentrated
🔹Consistency - same results every single time

Unlike roasting or pan-frying, sous-vide removes the guesswork. You decide the exact temperature - the water bath does the rest. Afterwards, a quick sear adds that golden-brown crust.

Sous-vide is both culinary science and precision cooking.

💬 Have you tried sous-vide at home ?





🧪 Fermentation: How It Really Works?From sourdough bread to kimchi, kombucha, cheese, beer, and yoghurt - fermentation i...
12/09/2025

🧪 Fermentation: How It Really Works?

From sourdough bread to kimchi, kombucha, cheese, beer, and yoghurt - fermentation is everywhere. But what’s the actual science behind it?

🔬 Fermentation is a process where microorganisms like bacteria, yeasts, and fungi break down sugars and starches into alcohols, acids, and gases.

✅ Lactic acid fermentation – used in yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut → preserves food + creates tangy flavours
✅ Alcohol fermentation – yeasts convert sugars into ethanol + CO₂ → used in wine, beer, bread
✅ Acetic acid fermentation – turns alcohol into vinegar → a natural preservative with a sharp taste

Why does it matter?
🍞 Preservation – Humans have used fermentation for thousands of years to make food last longer
🥬 Flavour – Deep umami, tang, complexity all come from fermentation by-products
🧘 Health – Fermented foods are rich in probiotics that support gut health and the microbiome, linked to digestion, immunity, and even mood

🌍 Across cultures, fermentation shaped cuisines and food traditions - from Korean kimchi to Ethiopian injera and Mexican pulque.

🔵Follow For More Food Science









☕ Why does coffee taste worse in a paper cup?Many coffee lovers agree: the same brew tastes richer and smoother in a cer...
05/09/2025

☕ Why does coffee taste worse in a paper cup?

Many coffee lovers agree: the same brew tastes richer and smoother in a ceramic mug than in a takeaway paper cup. But why? The answer lies in food science + psychology of taste. 🔬

✅ Paper absorbs coffee aromas
Coffee’s complex flavour comes from hundreds of volatile aroma compounds. Paper cups even with a thin plastic lining can absorb or trap some of these molecules, leaving the drink tasting muted.

✅ Plastic and wax linings add flavour notes
Most disposable cups are coated with polyethylene or wax to make them waterproof. When hot coffee touches these layers, subtle “off” notes can leach into the drink, giving a flat, waxy, or chemical aftertaste.

✅ Faster cooling changes flavour
Coffee tastes different as it cools. Paper cups lose heat more quickly than ceramic or double-walled glass, which shifts the flavour profile and dulls sweetness while emphasising bitterness.

✅ Psychology of perception (gastrophysics)
Studies show that coffee tastes better when served in a heavy ceramic mug compared to a lightweight disposable cup. Why? Our brains associate weight, texture, and material with quality and richness. In other words your mind helps shape your flavour experience. 🧠

👉 So, does coffee in a paper cup taste worse? Yes - both chemistry and psychology suggest it does. If you want the best flavour, go for ceramic, porcelain, or glass.






🥫 Why does canned food often taste worse than fresh?It’s not your imagination it’s food chemistry at work. 🔬✅ To make fo...
29/08/2025

🥫 Why does canned food often taste worse than fresh?

It’s not your imagination it’s food chemistry at work. 🔬

✅ To make food shelf-stable, it’s sealed and heated at high temperatures. While this kills bacteria and prevents spoilage, it also breaks down delicate flavour compounds.
✅ Volatile aromas - the molecules that give fresh foods their vibrant taste - are lost during the heating process.
✅ Some canned foods can even pick up subtle metallic notes from the container itself.
✅ Textures change too: proteins denature, and veggies can go soft or mushy.

The result? Safe, long-lasting food - but often flatter, duller flavours compared to fresh or frozen.

Still, canned foods remain a vital part of global food security - proof that sometimes we trade a little flavour for safety and shelf life.

💬 Do you prefer canned, frozen, or fresh?






🔵 Why do blue foods often feel unappetizing?Unlike red (linked to ripeness) or green (linked to freshness), blue is rare...
22/08/2025

🔵 Why do blue foods often feel unappetizing?

Unlike red (linked to ripeness) or green (linked to freshness), blue is rare in nature. Our brains evolved to associate it with toxicity, mould, or spoilage. 🧠

Food psychology studies show that when people eat under blue lighting, their appetite actually decreases. That’s why blue is sometimes used as a “diet colour”.

There are a few natural exceptions — blueberries, butterfly pea flower, some potatoes — but overall, blue signals “don’t eat” in our evolutionary wiring.

This is gastrophysics in action: colour doesn’t just change how food looks — it changes how it tastes and how much we want to eat it.

👉 Follow for More Food Science 💙







🍯 Why Honey Never Expires – The Sweet ScienceDid you know honey found in ancient Egyptian tombs — sealed for over 3,000 ...
15/08/2025

🍯 Why Honey Never Expires – The Sweet Science

Did you know honey found in ancient Egyptian tombs — sealed for over 3,000 years — was still perfectly edible?

This isn’t a magic trick. It’s food chemistry at work. 🔬

✅ Low water content – Honey is hygroscopic, meaning it binds and holds onto water, leaving almost none available for bacteria or mould to grow.
✅ High acidity – With a natural pH of around 3.2–4.5, honey creates an acidic environment that’s hostile to microorganisms.
✅ Natural hydrogen peroxide – Bees add the enzyme glucose oxidase, which produces hydrogen peroxide in small amounts, acting as a built-in preservative.

Together, these factors make honey one of the most stable and shelf-proof foods on the planet. If stored in a sealed container away from moisture, it can last indefinitely.

Over time, honey may crystallise or darken — but that’s a natural process, not spoilage. Simply warm it gently to restore its smooth texture.

🍯 From ancient civilisations to your kitchen cupboard, honey proves that nature can be the ultimate food scientist.








Monkfish liver can be served in several ways, each bringing out different qualities of the ingredient. When seared, it d...
13/02/2025

Monkfish liver can be served in several ways, each bringing out different qualities of the ingredient. When seared, it develops a slightly caramelized crust that contrasts beautifully with its silky interior, providing a delightful textural contrast.

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Food Meets Science

Food Meets Science is an interdisciplinary project supported by The Best Chef. The main idea of Food Meets Science symposium is an exchange between science and cooking with a view to shedding light on what is really happening in our brain when we eat and how our brain influences food choice.

Food Meets Science tries to answer different question – from general ones: what is the difference between taste and flavor? how smell and taste are interacting together? why do we like one thing and another is disgusting for us? to more specific ones like: what happens in your brain when you're looking at a food? is the genetic profile of the diners important in designing gastronomic experiences?

Food Meets Science symposium is organized and promoted by The Best Chef. Fellow neuroscientists from all over the world collaborate with internationally renowned Michelin-starred Chefs.