Author Question: Carotenoids are stable to alkali. However, if carrots are cooked in alkaline water, the cooking ... (Read 16 times)

Sufayan.ah · **on:** Aug 19, 2018

Carotenoids are stable to alkali. However, if carrots are cooked in alkaline water, the cooking water is much more yellow than if the carrots are cooked in plain tap water. Give a possible explanation.

Question 2

Does microwave cookery cause a greater or a lesser color change than stove-top cooking? Why?

flannelavenger · **Reply #1 on:** Aug 19, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Possible color change is due to the breakdown of the hemicellulose, which is promoted by an alkali.

Answer to Question 2

Microwave cooking does not change the color of the vegetable as much as cooking on the stovetop. One reason is that they do not have to be in the microwave as long to be cooked so a reaction does not occur.