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Thermal decomposition of sugar molecules produces rich golden colours and complex nutty flavours. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

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Caramelisation breaks down sugars through heat

Thermal decomposition of sugar molecules produces rich golden colours and complex nutty flavours

Caramelisation occurs when pure carbohydrates are heated until they melt and decompose without amino acids present. The process starts at varying temperatures depending on the sugar type, with fructose caramelising at 110 degrees Celsius and sucrose at 160 degrees. This reaction yields volatile compounds that provide a characteristic sweet and buttery aroma.

Where this comes from

Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Tags: sugar, caramelisation, chemistry

Caramelisation breaks down sugars through heat: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Thermal decomposition of sugar molecules produces rich golden colours and complex nutty flavours. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a food fact?: Yes. It sits on the Food shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.