Make your own orange drinkand other experiments and activities

for consumer chemistry

David A. KatzChemist, educator, and consultant

Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.Email: dkatz45@msn.com

Web site: http://www.chymist.com

How it startedDid fermentation experiment in classes.1973 ‐ Dr. Frank Gadek, Allentown College (now DeSalesUniversity), gave talks on the chemistry of wine.  

Used it as a way to teach chemical principles.  Later, he developed a chemistry of wine course teaching local grape growers and vintners about making wine.

Introduced chemistry of wine as a topic in my non‐major course complete with labs.

Administrators objected to lab experiments.Did some chemistry experiments with orange juice.

Introduced orange drink in Consumer Chemistry course at Cabrini College (1994)Consumer Chemistry course at Pima C.C.  (2003)

Non-major courses taught• CHM 121IN, Chemistry and Society

• Took over course in 2003.• No textbook, only my notes and Internet resources as of 2004

• CHM 125IN, Consumer Chemistry• Originated course in 2003 • Textbook: Selinger, Ben, Chemistry in the marketplace.• No textbook, only my notes and Internet resources as of 2009

• These are taught as integrated hands-on courses.• Classes meet in the lab (2 hours, 40 minutes)

• 30 to 45 minutes lecture followed by hands-on activities and experiments with some intermittent discussions

Topics for CHM 125IN: Consumer Chemistry• Basic chemistry

• Elements, compounds, measurement, chemical formulas, acids and bases, chemical reactions, intro to organic compounds (includes petroleum products).

• Lab safety and introduction to toxicology• Chemistry in the laundry

• Soaps, detergents, cleaning aids• Chemistry in the kitchen

• Cooking, foods, food additives, flour and bread, molecular gastronomy• Water

• Tested drinking water and, when available, surface water.• Chemistry in the boudoir

• Perfumes, skin creams, sunscreens, OTC medications• Materials

• Polymers, glass, metals, fabrics, paper, artist materials• Introductory nanotechnology

Focus on food chemistry• Fats and oils• Sugar and sweeteners• Butter and margarine• Pickles and fermentation• Food additives and nutrients• Cheese• Bread• Popcorn• Molecular gastronomy• Water

Safety with food chemistry• Food experiments should be carried out in a home economics laboratory if possible.

• All apparatus used must be new or never used with any laboratory chemicals.  It is preferred that they have been washed in a dishwasher prior to use and dried in the normal or sterilized heat cycle.  Note: The use of a dishwasher does not guarantee that apparatus, previously used for chemical experiments, is free from contamination by laboratory chemicals.

• All materials must be stored away from any possible contamination by laboratory chemicals.

• All chemicals must be food grade (USP grade is acceptable).  It is preferred they be new or in individual serving packets.

• Before materials are placed in the laboratory, all bench tops must be cleaned with a food safe cleaner.   After cleaning, the bench tops must be covered with a food safe material that has not been stored near any laboratory chemicals.  Aluminum foil can be used.

• Balances and areas around balances must be cleaned. 

• If any tasting is required for an experiment, it must be completed before any laboratory materials are used in the experiment.

• Any food materials used for tasting must be in new, unopened packages or containers.

• Once a food material has been opened near any laboratory chemicals, it is considered to be contaminated and must not be consumed.

Orange Drinks

Kool‐Aid® Tang®Sugar (sucrose) Sugar (sucrose)Fructose FructoseCitric acid Citric acidCalcium phosphate Calcium phosphateSodium citrate Potassium citrateNatural flavor Orange juice solidsAscorbic acid (vitamin C) Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)Yellow 6 Natural flavorYellow 6 lake Artificial color1Artificial flavor Xanthan gumTitanium dioxide Cellulose gumRed 40 lake Yellow 5BHA Yellow 6

Alpha tocopherol acetate  (vitamin E)Niacinamide (vitamin B3 / niacin)Artificial flavorVitamin A palmitateVitamin B6Riboflavin (vitamin B2)BHA

Ingredients in Kool-Aid® and Tang® orange flavored drink mixes, in order of decreasing quantity.

1 Titanium dioxide is classified as an artificial color

Kool-Aid® Tang™

Serving size 8 fl oz (17 g) 2 tsp. (25 g)

Calories 60 90Total fat 0 g 0 gSodium 5 mg 0 mgTotal carbohydrates 16 g 23gSugars 16 g 23gProtein 0 g 0 gVitamin A 10%Vitamin C 10% 100%Calcium 8%Vitamin E 10%Riboflavin 10%Niacin 10%Vitamin B6 10%

Nutritional values of Kool-Aid® and Tang™Vitamin and mineral values are reported as percent daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Relative sweetness of sugars

Sugar SweetnessRelative to Sucrose

Fructose 173

Invert sugar (equal parts glucose and fructose) 130

Sucrose 100

Glucose 74

Maltose 32

Lactose 16

Sweeteners (sugar substitutes)

Aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet) 160-200

Sucralose (Splenda) 600

Saccharine (Sweet‘N Low, Sugar Twin) 300

Acesulfame potassium (Stevia, Truvia) 200

Ingredients and quantities used to prepare 8 ounces (250 mL) of orange-flavored drink

Home‐Made DrinkIngredient

QuantityUse measures instead of mass

Source

Sugar (sucrose) 1 Tbs.   (12 g) SupermarketFructose ½ Tbs.  (7 g) Natural food store

Citric acid ¼ tsp.   (1 g) Supermarket or pharmacy

Potassium citrate (or sodium citrate)

1/3 of 1/8 tsp.  (0.023 g)

Pharmacy, natural food store,or chemical supply co.

Orange extract ¾ tsp.   (4 mL) Supermarket

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) ¼ of 1/8 tsp.  (0.08 g) Natural food store or pharmacy

Yellow 5  2 drops SupermarketRed 40 1 drop Supermarket

All substances are U.S.P. grade or better.To prepare larger quantities of drinks multiply quantities by number of 8 ounce (227 g) servings being prepared.

Tasting Sweeteners

• Use sealed packets whenever possible.• Place sweeteners in a circle on paper plates.

• Taste small amount of each.• Taste preferences tend to prevail. 

Tasting acids – taste a buffer

Prepare solutions:Citric acid

2 g in 500 mL water

Citric acid – potassium citrate2 g citric acid0.05 g potassium citrate500 mL water

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)0.16 g in 500 mL water

Results

• Orange drink was formulated to be between Tang and Kool‐Aid.

• No thickeners were used – less mouth feel.• In general, classes preferred the “home‐made” orange drink.

• Better understanding of processed food drink.

Other Food Related Activities

• Apple Browning• Cheese• Popcorn• Fats and oils (including Olestra) – potato chips and French fries• Butter – make and taste• Pickles – zip lock pickles• Root beer – quick and by fermentation• How Yeast Works• Caloric content of foods• Molecular Gastronomy

Antioxidants: Apple Browning

• Cut apple with plastic knife to promote browning (oxidation)

• Test materials:• Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)• Citric acid/lemon juice• Acetic acid (vinegar)• Sodium chloride• Sugar (sucrose)• Water (room temperature and hot)

Food additives: What they are

INGREDIENTSUnbleached flourwaterSaltYeast

Twinkies have a shelf life of 25 days, not forever, and 45 seconds in a microwave.

Iron for Breakfast

General Mills explains this.  See letter athttp://www.chymist.com/General%20Mills%20letter.pdf

Food colorsExtraction and identification of artificial food colors using paper chromatography

Originally used liquid ion exchange resin (Amberlite LA‐2) ‐ 1975Switched to white wool – 2009

Manufacturers changing to natural colors

Old

New

Tasting ButterButter in a bottle

Heavy cream in jar.Shake until butter forms.Rinse well and drain.

MargarineTaste various brands.

Butter blendsFlavor from buttermilk and/or buttermilk solids.

Used bagels for tasting

Fats and Oils• Determination of fat in French Fries and potato chips• Including Olestra “fat free” chips

• Potato chip tasting

Caloric content of food

Energy of a peanutBurn nuts, potato chips, corn chips, cheese curls.Used aluminum can, top removed, filled with ice.Determine heat needed to melt ice.Calculate the heat (kcal) per gram of food burned.Caloric content closest to fat content.

Fermentation: How yeast works

Zip lock bags contain:1. Yeast2. Yeast and water.3. Yeast, sugar, and water.4. Yeast, flour, and water.5. Yeast, artificial sweetener, and water.

Place in warm place or water bath.

Fermentation: Root Beer• Mix root beer extract with water and sugar sweetener

• Dry ice method• Can use artificial sweetener in place of sugar• Place in shatterproof container• Add dry ice

• Fermentation• Add yeast (I used champagne yeast)• Place in bottles• Ferment for 3 to 4 days• Refrigerate to stop fermentation

Fermentation: Zip-lock pickles

• Can be made in Zip‐lock bag or jar.• Use small pickling cucumbers or slice larger ones.• Brine made from water, vinegar, sodium chloride, and mixed pickling spice.

• Optional: add dill, garlic, onion, and dried hot peppers or red pepper flakes. 

• Ready in as little as an hour.• Longer time results in a more sour (or well done) pickle.

Cheese• Easy cheese

• Ricotta or lemon cheese• Heat milk to 74°C and add lemon juice

• Drain, but do not squeeze• Add salt and herbs to serve

• Mozzarella• Due to required manipulations, this is best made at home.

Molecular gastronomyChantilly chocolate

60 – 72% cacaoMust contain lecithin

Fruit juice caviarStrained fruit juiceSodium alginateCalcium chloride

30‐second chocolate cakeCan also make brownies and cookiesNote: Cookies do not brown.  Takes several minutes to 

crisp.

Popcorn• Why does popcorn pop?

• Popping corn with oil• Presoaked popping corn• Dried popping corn• Popping corn with punctured hulls

• Microwave popcorn• What’s inside the bag?• How is the bag constructed?• Using a plain paper bag

Chemicals in our food“Who says your diet is chemical-free?” *

* James Kennedy, Monash University https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/

James Kennedy, Monash University https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/

James Kennedy, Monash University https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/

James Kennedy, Monash University https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/

James Kennedy, Monash University https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/

James Kennedy, Monash University https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/

No oranges were harmedin the creation of this beverage

Course syllabi and experimentscan be found at

http://www.chymist.comOn the left-hand menu, click on

Cooking with Chemistry,Laboratory Experiments

or go toPima Chem Courses

then click on the course link:Chem 125: Consumer Chemistry