Question

You have two samples of egg whites. The first sample is mixed with a bit of table salt and the second sample is mixed with a bit of white vinegar. Now both samples are placed in a frying pan. Would the samples cook faster than just egg whites themselves? If so, explain the chemistry behind it.

Answer 1

Yes, the samples will cook faster than just egg whites. It is so because, the salt or vinegar will tend to denature proteins in egg white.

Salt will cause denaturation by disrupting the electrostatic interactions that stabalize the tertiary structure.

Vinegar will tend to lower the pH which will change the overall charge on side chains of acidic and basic amino acids and hence will distub tertiary stucture thereby causing denaturation.

This will cause faster cooking of the egg whites as cooking involves denaturation by heat.