The Pungent Spices

The Pungent Spices
This is well defined group of spices which are used universally in food seasoning to add bite or piquancy to the end product. In the case of pepper and ginger this pungent effect is accompanied by a quite characteristic flavor due to nonpungent aromatic components present in the essential oil of these spices, the familiar bite and flavor of mustard, on the other hand, is due to a very volatile constituent which largely constitutes so-called “oil of mustard.”

It is not easy to equate the relative pungency of the spices in this group as the effect of each in the mouth is so very different. Pepper causes a pleasing tingling sensation along the front edge of the tongue with very little effect upon the throat tissues unless it is present far in excess of normal.

Capsicums are different in that they can be detected in low concentrations as a sharp pain deep in the throat with almost no effect upon the linings of the mouth and tongue.

Ginger differs yet again in having a fuller and more rounded pungency which is evident upon the sides and back of the tongue but not in the throat.

Compared with all these, the distinctive pungency of mustard is in a different class. The pungent principles of pepper, capsicum and ginger are present as nonvolatile constituents of the spice and can be recovered unchanged by solvent extraction. That of mustard is volatile and is created by enzyme action when ground mustard flour is mixed with water, the warm, sharply aromatic pungency of mustard surfuses the whole mouth.

One readily differentiate between the various pungent spices when they are evaluated singly but it is much more difficult to separate out the several effects when they are represent together in a seasoning – as is usually the case. With all of these spices, the pungent effect is cumulative so that one feels an increasing response with successive doses of the same level of stimulus until one reaches a threshold of saturation.

This makes the evaluation of the spices themselves and products containing them very difficult to achieve with any degree of accuracy as the build-up of pungency detracts from and ultimately overwhelms any flavoring effect. All the pungent species leave an after taste which may be of long duration.
The Pungent Spices

Composition of White Egg

Composition of White Egg
The white consists almost wholly of water and proteins, with a few minerals, which is very unusual for product of animal origin (90% of the dry matter consists of proteins).

It also contains free glucose (at double the concentration of blood plasma) which constitutes a primary source of energy available to the embryo. Each protein is known for its specific properties, both functional and nutritional.

Ovalbumin, the most abundant protein in albumen, is phosphoglycoprotein. It contains 3.5% carbohydrates with the number of moles of phosphates bonded to the serine residues varying from 2 to 0.

The molecule contains four free sulphydryl groups and two disulphide bridges, but the number of the latter increases during storage and an ‘S-albumin’ is formed which is more thermostable than the native protein. The proportion of S-ovalbumin, which is 5% at the time of laying, can reach 80% after six months’ cold storage.

Conalbumin (or ovotransferrin) is a glycoprotein consisting of two subunits. It has the capacity to bind bi- and trivalent metal cations into a complex. At its pHi one molecule can bind two cations and take on a red (Fe3+) and yellow (Cu2+) color. These metals complexes are more thermostable than protein in the native state.

Ovomucoid is a glycoprotein which is consists of three sub-units. It is heat resistant – except in an alkaline medium – and has an anti-trypsin activity.

Lysozyme is a holoprotein with a very high pH. It has a B-glucosaminidase enzymatic activity which allows it to lyse the wall of certain Gram-positive bacteria.

Ovomucin is a glycoprotein whose carbohydrate content is almost 30%. The stretched structure of the molecule and a result of the electrostatic repulsion due o the negative charges of the residues of sialic acid which are responsible to the viscosity of the gel layer of the albumen.

This protein is insoluble in water and soluble in salt solutions whose pH is higher than, or equal to 7.
Composition of White Egg