Chemistry behind colour changes - Enzymatic browning

20 important questions on Chemistry behind colour changes - Enzymatic browning

How does enzymatic browning happen?

It happens when polyphenol oxidase (PPO) coms in contact with oxygen. This happens when the tissue of the fruit damages.

How does the process of making tea go?

1. Plucking of leaves
2. Dry tea leaves at 25-30 C (40-50% moisture loss)
3. Rolling of leaves
4. ‘Fermentation’ at 25 C (not by bacteria but by enzyme so not real ferment.)
  • Colour changes
  • Flavour formation
5. Stop fermentation by drying leaves (moisture content 3-5%)
6. Packaging

What is the difference between these tea's?

Over the thee we see in increase of enzyme activity so more molecules that brown. First one no enzyme activity, last one lot of enzyme activity.
  • Higher grades + faster learning
  • Never study anything twice
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Discover Study Smart

What are the 3 enzymes in the enzymatic reaction? Can you fill this sceam in?

licht pink is oxygen, dark pink is H2O2

The 3 enzymes use the same substrate.
2 use O2, 1 H2O2
2 produce free radicals, 1 not

What is the difference between the cresolase and catecholase enzyme (de 2 PPO)?

De bovenste cresolase doe O-hydroxylation and subsequent oxidation.
De catecholase doet allen osxidation

What is the main difference between Pholy Phenol oxidase met laccase en peroxidase?

Laccase and POD are less strict with there substrate and do not nesseserly need phyrosin and polyphenols.

What can you do with mass spectrometry?

See what kind of oxidation products you have in tea

Is mass spectrometry quantative?

No because it ionises your product. Some products can be more ionised then others and therefore you can have a bigger peak for a compounds that is pressent in less aboundance.

How can mass spectrometry determine the kind of molecules in tea?

With a van krevelen plot

What is a van krevelen plot?

This is a plot in wich first know comopunds where plotted on on ax there is the H/C ration and on the other one there is the O/C ratio. These will give areas where specific coumounds will be.

Does enzymatic browning only happen in fruites?

No can also happen to scripms if you dont frees them quick enough or dont cook them quick enough.
When you cook them en leave them they will become brown if the scrimp had before the cooking to long time to ripe.

What is the similarity and difference between scrimp and fruit browning?

Similarity is the enzyme (tyrosinase)
Difference is the substrate that is used.

What kind of reactions play a rol in the brown colour formation in shrimps?

couples oxidation and intra molecular reactions of o-quinones.

What is similar in all the browning reactiosn in enzymes?

Tyrosinate and oxygen is always used. And different phenolic substrates give browning.

What two ways are there to prevent browning in muchrooms?

lower the tyrosinate
target other enzymes that do the folow up reachton.

What forms the colour in whine?

The colour in wine is formed by anthocyanidins.
After fermentation of the wine there are certain components (acetaldehyde, glyoxylic acid en pyruvic acid) always a acid. That can react with the an thocyanidins. They wil form more stable colour compounds. Most are red some yellow and they will determine the final colour of the wine.

What is the difference between athocyanins and anthocyanidins and what is the difference in properties?

The longer the name the smaller the molecule.
The anthocyanins hebben een sugar unit aan hun molecul vast. 
With anthocyanins the suger unit has more (OH) groeps which makes your molecule's more polar and therfore more water soluble.

What can you say about the colour formation and stability of this compound at different pH, found in potatoes and cabbage?

At Low pH the red colour is formed and at high pH the blue colour is formed. At neutral pH the yellow colour.
The red is more stable then the blue and the blue will react to the yellow compound.

What are the important factors in colour of anthocyaninds?

  • Temprature
  • pH
  • acylation (improves stability, picture gives acyl groups in blue)

What is a stacking interachtion?

The molecules are on top of eachoter in the conformation and therfore it is more stable and will a H molecule not be able to atack the O+. Because of this you get the purple colour in patatoes and cabbage.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

  • A unique study and practice tool
  • Never study anything twice again
  • Get the grades you hope for
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Remember faster, study better. Scientifically proven.
Trustpilot Logo