Science and Food
  • Home
  • Public Events
    • Video Gallery
    • 2022 People, Food, & Climate
    • 2019 Food Waste
    • 2017 Future of Food
    • 2016 Public Lecture Series
    • 2014 Public Lecture Series
    • 2013 Public Lecture series
    • 2012 Public Lecture Series
  • Future Food Fellows
  • Building Community
  • Course
  • Press
  • Support Us
  • Contact Us
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu

Cotton Candy

August 18, 2015/in Flavor of the Month/by Grant Alkin

Summer would be incomplete without carnivals and bright, fleecy, sugary cotton candy. For a snack that’s nothing but sugar and air, there’s a surprising amount of physics and chemistry involved. Below are seven science-heavy facts about this feathery-light confection.

Fotm, cotton candy slide 1


Fotm, cotton candy slide 2


Fotm, cotton candy slide 3


Fotm, cotton candy slide 4


Fotm, cotton candy slide 5


Fotm, cotton candy slide 6


Fotm, cotton candy slide 7


Editor’s note: The original post stated that 1 ounce of cotton candy is 0.105 kilocalories, when in fact, it is 105 kilocalories, which is equivalent to 105 Calories. Thanks to our astute reader, Allison of the Internet for catching that! The post has now been updated (08-18-2015 10:06 p.m. PST)


Alice PhungAbout the author: Alice Phung once had her sights set on an English degree, but eventually switched over to chemistry and hasn’t looked back since.

Read more by Alice Phung


Tags: candy, candy science, centripetal force, cotton candy, ethyl maltol, flavor, flavor chemistry, flavor compounds, glass candy, molecules, physics, sucrose, sugar, sugar crystals, vanillin
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on X
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Share on Vk
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
0 0 Grant Alkin https://sites.lifesci.ucla.edu/ibp-scienceandfoodnew/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2016/09/newlogoSm-2-300x31.png Grant Alkin2015-08-18 10:00:462015-08-18 10:00:46Cotton Candy
You might also like
Homemade Marshmallows
Coconut
A Matter of Taste: Full-Fat Versus Reduced-Fat Cheese
Meat: where physiology meets flavor
The Science of Bacon
Pop Rocks and Carbonation
Nutmeg
Flavor without the Calories: Scientists Create a Digital Taste Simulator
Search Search

Recent Posts

  • Hello world!
  • Hello world!
  • Hello world!
  • Aquafaba Meringues
  • Vertical Farming & Micro-Gardening

Archives

  • March 2017
  • November 2016
  • August 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012

Categories

  • Contests
  • Course Lectures
  • DIY Kitchen Science
  • Flavor of the Month
  • News & Views
  • Profiles
  • Public Lectures
  • Science & Food
  • Uncategorized
  • What We're Reading

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Link to: Yeast DNA & Dr. Cotton Candy Link to: Yeast DNA & Dr. Cotton Candy Yeast DNA & Dr. Cotton Candy Link to: Fair Food: The Science of Deep-Frying Link to: Fair Food: The Science of Deep-Frying Fair Food: The Science of Deep-Frying
Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top