Why is a tablespoon of vinegar (5% acetic acid) added to water when making poached eggs?  What does the vinegar do?

Chemical Principles in the Laboratory
11th Edition
ISBN:9781305264434
Author:Emil Slowinski, Wayne C. Wolsey, Robert Rossi
Publisher:Emil Slowinski, Wayne C. Wolsey, Robert Rossi
Chapter43: Analysis For Vitamin C
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Why is a tablespoon of vinegar (5% acetic acid) added to water when making poached eggs?  What does the vinegar do? 

 

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The two main components of egg is the egg white and yolk. Egg whites consists proteins and water. The main protein present in the egg white is ovalbumin.

When proteins are heat, they will get denature where the chains become unfolded and thus, lose their structure.

Hence, when egg is cooked, the ovalbumin present in the egg white starts to denature, and this will lead to the formation of a white solid by coagulation.

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