Briefly describe about Caramelization?
Caramelization results from the action of heat on sugars at about 175º C. At high temperatures, sugars dehydrate, break down and polymerize into viscous caramels, the chemical changes associated with melting sugars result in a deep brown amber colour and new flavours. Examples are the browning of bread when toasted in which, caramelization takes place under the oven heat, and the sugar adds a golden- brown, flavourful and slightly crisp surface that tastes great and helps retain moisture in the product or the darkening of maple sap when heated to make maple syrup. The carmelization reaction is attributed to a range of browning reactions and flavor developments. Once the melting point has been obtained, sugars will caramelize. Each sugar has its own caramelization temperature. Galactose, sucrose and glucose all carmelizes, around 160°C, but fructose caramelizes at 110°C and maltose caramelizes at about 180°C. Caramel has a pungent taste, is often bitter, is much less sweet than the original sugar from which it is produced, is noncrystalline, and is soluble in water. Both extent and rate of the caramelization reaction are influenced by the type of sugar being heated.