Course Syllabus

CHEM 1020 The Chemistry of Cooking

Course Description

In this course, students will explore the chemical principles that underpin great cooking; specifically, this course will focus on the chemistry of salt, fat, acid, and heat. Students will explore the principles that drive flavor, texture, and aroma by learning chemistry concepts, conducting scientifically rigorous food chemistry experiments, crafting evidence-based arguments, and presenting their findings in scientific ways.

Justification

This course is justified by its interdisciplinary approach; connecting chemistry to real-life applications like cooking makes abstract concepts more tangible and engaging. It promotes STEM skill development, including scientific inquiry, data analysis, and problem-solving, while fostering creativity through recipe troubleshooting and improvement. Students gain transferable skills such as unit conversions, equation balancing, and pH analysis, which are valuable for advanced studies and careers in food science, nutrition, and health. Additionally, students will gain in-demand soft skills, like problem-solving and scientific communication, Furthermore, the hands-on experiments in this course will enhance learning and scientific literacy, preparing students to apply evidence-based solutions in both personal and professional contexts. Lastly, similar GE "science of cooking" courses exist at other USHE institutions.

General Education Outcomes

1. A student who completes the GE curriculum has a fundamental knowledge of human cultures and the natural world. Students will learn to analyze data as they participate in the scientific method and experiments. They will learn to present results both written and oral.
2. A student who completes the GE curriculum can read and research effectively within disciplines. Students will engage in using chemistry to understand cooking techniques they use in everyday life.
3. A student who completes the GE curriculum can draw from multiple disciplines to address complex problems. Students will explore real-world challenges related to the chemistry of cooking.
4. A student who completes the GE curriculum can reason analytically, critically, and creatively. Students will apply their knowledge from several disciplines and synthesize their knowledge by exploring complex cooking-related challenges.

General Education Knowledge Area Outcomes

1. Students will use the scientific method to answer real-world chemistry of cooking questions with respect to cooking and cuisine.  Students will use the scientific method to answer real-world chemistry of cooking questions with respect to cooking and cuisine.
2. UNDERSTAND: Demonstrate understanding of matter, energy, and their influence on physical systems. Through the study of the chemistry of cooking, students will be able to describe the flow of energy and transformation of matter during the cooking process. Students will also be able to describe the influences of cooking to the environment, both immediate and broad.
3. EVALUATE: Evaluate the credibility of various sources of information about science-related issues. Student will evaluate food-chemistry-focused scientific information and experiments.
4. APPLY: Describe how the Physical Sciences utilize their foundational principles to confront and solve pressing local and global challenges, shaping historical, ethical, or social landscapes in the process.  Students will use foundational chemistry concepts to answer questions related to how chemistry can solve culinary problems.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to create scientifically rigorous food chemistry experiments that assess salt, fat, acid, and heat as components in food.
2. Students will be able to present scientific research in a convincing way that follows the claim-evidence-reasoning structure.
3. Students will be able to explain the science/chemistry that underpins recipes and culinary phenomenon.
4. Students will be able to perform basic chemistry calculations such as unit conversions, concentration calculations, equation balancing, and pH calculations.
5. Students will be able to use conceptual chemistry understanding to describe why every day/cooking phenomena occur.
6. Students will be able to use their chemistry knowledge to improve recipes and create solutions to problems that face the culinary world.

Course Content

This course will delve into the chemistry underpinning recipes and culinary phenomena, including but not limited to, emulsions and caramelization to brining and leavening. Students will master essential chemistry calculations, including but not limited to, unit conversions, concentration measurements, equation balancing, and pH analysis, and apply these skills to everyday cooking scenarios. Using their conceptual chemistry understanding, students will learn to analyze and troubleshoot recipes, improving them with evidence-based solutions and innovative approaches to address challenges in the culinary world.