| MadSci Network: Other |
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What exactly is going on when food gets stale? Is it because the food has
dried out? Why do things like popcorn and chips become stale, as opposed
to other foods?
Anything left out in the air for an extended period will (unless it is sealed up in some way) exchange moisture and other volatiles with the air. Many flavors come from volatile organic compounds, which means that if left out, they evaporate (like the fizz from soda). Popcorn and chips become stale by gaining moisture from the air; they lose their crispness and may get hard or chewy. Bread, on the other hand, gets stale by drying out. My colleague, Kay Soltesz, is a registered dietician (and her students regularly come through my organic chemistry course). Kay maintains an excellent set of professional and nutrition web links, which I recommend for more information.
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Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Other.