Amino Acids and Peptides
Like starch and cellulose, proteins are large
polymers of smaller molecular units. The
smaller units are called amino acids. They
consist of between 10 and 40 atoms, mainly
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with at least
one nitrogen atom in an amine group —
NH>2— that gives the amino acids their
family name. A couple of amino acids include
sulfur atoms. There are about 20 different
kinds of amino acids that occur in significant
quantities in food. Particular protein
molecules are dozens to hundreds of amino
acids long, and often contain many of the 20
different kinds. Short chains of amino acids
are called peptides.
Amino Acids and Peptides Contribute
Flavor Three aspects of amino acids are
especially important to the cook. First, amino
acids participate in the browning reactions