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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Missy185 on May 04, 2008, 09:31:55 PM

Title: Lipids???
Post by: Missy185 on May 04, 2008, 09:31:55 PM

Can someone please help me understand this question. I cant seem to find an answer that makes sense to me.

If you put olive oil on cooked pasta, it wont stick together. Why is this?

I have always used salt in noodles to prevent sticking but olive oil? Anyone know of an answer that makes sense?

Title: Re: Lipids???
Post by: Borek on May 05, 2008, 02:56:33 AM

Oil film on the surface isolates pasta from touching itself.

Title: Re: Lipids???
Post by: doc77 on May 05, 2008, 08:42:42 AM

Hi Misty185:

Cooked or wet Pasta is starch that has hydroxyl groups that can hydrogen bond together (stick together)and also hydrogen bond with the water .  Oil is a triglyceride (triester) with long hydrophobic alkyl groups.  The oil on the pasta, coats the pasta and stops the hydroxyl groups of the starch from hydrogen bonding together (sticking together) by making the surface of the pasta coated with oil, hydrophobic.

Best Regards,
Doc77

Title: Re: Lipids???
Post by: Missy185 on May 05, 2008, 05:49:54 PM

thanks alot :)

That was exactly the answer I was looking for Doc :)

Its a question my chem teacher asked on a quiz...and I didn't know it then but I am wondering will that be a ? on the final...so at least I can be prepared. Thanks again