Food Chemistry
Denaturation
Loss of a protein's secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure without breaking peptide bonds, caused by heat, pH change, salts, solvents or shear.
Real-life application
Why an egg turns solid when fried or boiled, and why milk proteins clump together if boiled with lemon juice.
Related terms
Isoelectric point
Food ChemistryThe pH at which a protein carries no net electrical charge, so electrostatic repulsion between molecules is minimal.
Protein coagulation
Food ChemistryThe aggregation of denatured protein molecules into an insoluble network, following denaturation and driven by newly exposed hydrophobic groups.
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