100 WVIA Way
Pittston, PA 18640

Phone: 570-826-6144
Fax: 570-655-1180

Copyright © 2025 WVIA, all rights reserved. WVIA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Why the Maillard Reaction Makes Everything Delicious

Season 3 Episode 26 | 2m 53s

Science makes your food delicious. Why does fresh, hot toast have a more complex flavor than plain bread? Why does cooking raw food in general result in mouthwatering smells and a rich taste? The answer lies with the Maillard reaction, also known as the “browning reaction.” The chemistry behind this reaction is responsible for those good smelling steaks.

Aired: 06/20/16
Extras
Is water bending real?
George tries to make a new discovery in a huge field of science... and he might have.
This week Alex takes to the lab and investigates the stable isotopes in 20 different honeys.
Rubbing two balloons together leads George to a shocking discovery.
Is baking soda a legal, performance enhancing drug?
George tries to make electricity using dialysis tubing, toilet parts, and a baby turbine.
Alex wonders what happens when hot water freezes quicker than room temperature water?
Could a seemingly magical 300-year-old technology save us from climate change?
Fluoride is everywhere in the discourse but here’s what the research actually says.
How does a lifesaving drug vanish into thin air?
Latest Episodes
All
  • All
  • Reactions Season 11
  • Reactions Season 10
  • Reactions Season 9
  • Reactions Season 8
  • Reactions Season 7
  • Reactions Season 6
  • Reactions Season 5
  • Reactions Season 4
  • Reactions Season 3
  • Reactions Season 2
  • Reactions Season 1
Is water bending real?
George tries to make a new discovery in a huge field of science... and he might have.
This week Alex takes to the lab and investigates the stable isotopes in 20 different honeys.
Rubbing two balloons together leads George to a shocking discovery.
Is baking soda a legal, performance enhancing drug?
George tries to make electricity using dialysis tubing, toilet parts, and a baby turbine.
Alex wonders what happens when hot water freezes quicker than room temperature water?
Could a seemingly magical 300-year-old technology save us from climate change?
Fluoride is everywhere in the discourse but here’s what the research actually says.
How does a lifesaving drug vanish into thin air?