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Pipatsorn Cheewachatchawarn
Ramon Sampatasatien
Sirirat Tipakornrojanakit
Nichapawee Tangjui
Juthakanit Srijareon

Acid and Base in Baking

Everything in the world involves chemistry. Baking is series of chemical reactions. In
baking, the pH value has to be balance, By adding certain ingredients, the pH value increases or
decreases. The chemical reactions create different texture, smell, and taste.
Common ingredients in baking are flour, yeast, egg, fat, sugar, salt, baking powder,
baking soda, vitamin C. These ingredients affects the final product. Different mixtures create
different results.
Flour (Slightly Acidic)
Flour is made up of starch and protein. It is the base of most baking products. It
gives the products structural supports.
Yeast (Nearly Neutral)
Yeast is a living thing. It prefers to be in the acidic environment. Once it is added
to the mixture, it eats the starch in the mixture and produces sugar, alcohol, and carbon
dioxide. If the mixture with yeast is left long enough, alcohol will oxidate and produce
acid.
Egg (Slightly Base)
Egg white is a leavener like baking powder. Egg white has lecithin Egg can act
as an emulsifier, mixing substances that cant be mixed normally.

 Fat (Acid)
Fat is used in five processes: shortening, creaming, layering, emulsion, and
flavour. It can weaken gluten network, trap air, separate layer, and blend flavour.
Sugar (Neutral)
Sugar is a sweetener. It creates browning reactions and aids in fermentation.
Salt (Base)
Salt is used to add salty flavour and helps with structural support.
Baking Powder (Base)
Baking Powder is baking soda or carbonate added to acid which produces more
carbon dioxide causing bubbles. It is more popular leavener than the baking soda since it
doesnt create a soapy flavour like baking soda.
Baking Soda (Slightly Base)
Baking Soda is used as a leaveners to balance the pH value. It also produces
carbon dioxide when is heated. Because it is base, it gives a soapy taste which tends to be
unpleasant.
Vitamin C (Acid)
Vitamin C triggers anti-oxidation. It also helps strengthen gluten network of the
dough.
The mixture of ingredients is put in the oven. When it is baked, the chemical reactions
take place. The leavener neutralize the acid and the mixture becomes neutral. The carbon dioxide
gas is created giving the baked product chewy flavor. The savory baked products are created
from interactions between chemicals in the ingredients.

Reference

Czernohorsky,J. H., Hooker, R. (n.d.) THE CHEMISTRY OF BAKING. Retrieved from

http://nzic.org.nz/ChemProcesses/food/6D.pdf
Compound Interest. (2016, January 13) The Chemistry of Bread-Making. Retrieved from
http://www.compoundchem.com/2016/01/13/bread/