frc - Food Reality Check

What is E523? – Complete guide to understanding aluminium ammonium sulfate in your food

What is E523? Complete guide to understanding aluminium ammonium sulfate in your food The Quick Answer E523 is aluminium ammonium sulfate, commonly called ammonium alum. It's used in food as…

E-Numbers & Additives

What is E524? – Complete guide to understanding sodium hydroxide in your food

What is E524? Complete guide to understanding sodium hydroxide in your food The Quick Answer E524 is sodium hydroxide, commonly known as caustic soda or lye. It's used in food…

E-Numbers & Additives

What is E1402? – Complete guide to understanding Alkaline-treated Starch – the modified starch thickener and stabilizer

What is E1402? Complete guide to understanding E1402 (Alkaline-treated Starch) – the modified starch thickener and stabilizer The Quick Answer E1402 is alkaline-treated starch (also called alkaline-modified starch)—a modified starch…

E-Numbers & Additives

What is E1401? – Complete guide to understanding Acid-treated Starch – the modified starch thickener and stabilizer

What is E1401? Complete guide to understanding E1401 (Acid-treated Starch) – the modified starch thickener and stabilizer The Quick Answer E1401 is acid-treated starch (also called "thin boiling starch")—a modified…

E-Numbers & Additives

What is E1400? – Complete guide to understanding Dextrins / Maltodextrin – the starch-derived thickener and bulking agent

What is E1400? Complete guide to understanding E1400 (Dextrins / Maltodextrin) – the starch-derived thickener and bulking agent The Quick Answer E1400 is dextrin (also called maltodextrin)—a carbohydrate polymer produced…

Sweets & Baking

Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder: The Chemical Difference

Baking soda and baking powder are fundamentally different chemical compounds serving similar but distinct roles in baking. Understanding their chemistry, activation mechanisms, and appropriate applications prevents baking failures and explains…

How Food is Made

How Is Mayonnaise Made? Complete Process Explained

How Is Mayonnaise Made? From oil and eggs to a creamy emulsion through science and precision. The Overview Mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion containing 65-80% vegetable oil, egg yolk, vinegar,…

Meat & Seafood

Why Factory Cured Meats Cure So Fast: Industrial Methods Explained

Factory cured meats cure in days what artisanal producers spend months achieving. Understanding industrial acceleration methods—salt injection, temperature manipulation, chemical additives—reveals how speed is achieved and what trade-offs exist. Salt…

Meat & Seafood

How Prosciutto is Made: The 12-36 Month Curing Process

Prosciutto represents the pinnacle of artisanal curing—pork legs transformed through salt and time into delicate, intensely flavorful product. Understanding each stage reveals why the process takes years and costs significantly…

Meat & Seafood

Artisanal vs. Factory Cured Meats: What’s the Real Difference?

Artisanal and factory cured meats follow the same preservation principles but diverge dramatically in execution. Understanding time investment, flavor development, technique variation, and cost explains the premium prices and quality…