[Kikko]

dear all,

I am not a chemist and don't know a lot about the caramelization reaction, but what makes me even wonder more is the "salt catalyzed" caramelization.
How does salt "improve" the caramelization? Whats salt doing to aid for this reaction?
I could not find a lot of info, just that salt is one of the catalysts that makes the caramelization even happen more/faster.

any insights?
thanks

[billnotgatez]

While we are waiting
we could read
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caramelization

It may take a bit for someone to post, but I bet they will

[Kikko]

While we are waiting
we could read
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caramelization

It may take a bit for someone to post, but I bet they will

that one I already saw, but did not help me really.
It seems a pretty complicated reaction in general, the caramelization.

[billnotgatez]

I assume you already GOOGLE
salt catalyzed caramelization

and read links like
http://www.foodscience-avenue.com/2012/11/process-of-caramelization.html
http://books.google.com/books?id=EfAm-G5sYuoC&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=salt+catalyzed+caramelization&source=bl&ots=qKW16K3Beb&sig=W0pVXhbzmo0gnECaVRC8ZlePUM8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=motnU4bJCeqpsQTktYHYDA&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=salt%20catalyzed%20caramelization&f=false


The first link (food science) has this interesting statement

Many carbohydrates undergo this process. Caramelization is accelerated by carboxylic acids and their salt, phosphate and metallic ion, but even when catalyzed, the energy requirements exceed those of a sugar-amine reactions.

[Kikko]

I assume you already GOOGLE
salt catalyzed caramelization

and read links like
http://www.foodscience-avenue.com/2012/11/process-of-caramelization.html
http://books.google.com/books?id=EfAm-G5sYuoC&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=salt+catalyzed+caramelization&source=bl&ots=qKW16K3Beb&sig=W0pVXhbzmo0gnECaVRC8ZlePUM8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=motnU4bJCeqpsQTktYHYDA&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=salt%20catalyzed%20caramelization&f=false


The first link (food science) has this interesting statement

Many carbohydrates undergo this process. Caramelization is accelerated by carboxylic acids and their salt, phosphate and metallic ion, but even when catalyzed, the energy requirements exceed those of a sugar-amine reactions.

yes yes, those things, I already found them, but it stays a mystery to me how salt exactly "improves" the caramelization proces!!

[Kikko]

no one an idea?