Some food better the day after why?

Hi, i'm new to the forum and have been on the web trying to find the answer to the above,I'm a Chef and have all recognised qualifications and totally underpin food safety but I've been asked this Q and don't know the answer.
It especially is true of food with sauces and provided they are warmed up thoroughly they can taste better 24hrs later why?
Thanks . chefsteph

Hi, i'm new to the forum and have been on the web trying to find the answer to the above,I'm a Chef and have all recognised qualifications and totally underpin food safety but I've been asked this Q and don't know the answer.
It especially is true of food with sauces and provided they are warmed up thoroughly they can taste better 24hrs later why?
Thanks . chefsteph

I cannot tell you the scientific reason, but can only agree with you Steph. Food almost always has a deeper flavour the next day, maybe to do with a kind of marinating effect? Not sure you would get away with it in a top class restaurant advertising yesterday’s leftovers, unless of course some pioneering and innovative celebrity chef came up with the idea.

Welcome to the forums Steph.



Regards,
Simon

Hello,

I suppose that food dipped in some kind of sauce tastes better after 24 h due to fact that mass transfer phenomena that take place (exchange of fluids/substances). Depending on the composition of the sauce and the food product, the mass transfer can be faster, slower, more or less intense. Some common ingredients hide some secrets that most people don't know or never thought that some flavour/texture aspects could be originated by them. Take for example salt (sodium chloride) which is a flavour enhancer, a tenderizer etc (click on the link).

Here are some books that might interest you.

What's cooking in chemistry
Chemistry of cooking and cleaning

If you look some more online I am sure that you will find very interesting information. I would help more but my time is quite limited for the time being.


Cheers!
Filip

& Greetings

I agree with Simon & Filip,

As i remember in my childhood my granny was to make spicy fish curry in clay pot and store for the next day, when open the next day the flavor of spices and aroma of some herbs come out, the taste was superb and all enjoying with indian bread/chapathi or rice.

i know little ingredients of fish curry like pea nut paste, coconut powder, cumin powder, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, etc.

And another dish Indian Biryani - Specially hyderbadi dum biryani is famous they marinate meat with curd, fried crushed onion, trumeric, chilly powder and some spices and keep it aside for hours (4 - 8 h), along with salt some vinegar also enhance the flavor and tenderize the meat.

Another example is BBQ most common all over the world, different sauces available in market for marination and freshly made at home...

Is it related to the reduction process of cooling and reheating? The sauce has less wate second time around so the flavour is more intense?

Hi, i'm new to the forum and have been on the web trying to find the answer to the above,I'm a Chef and have all recognised qualifications and totally underpin food safety but I've been asked this Q and don't know the answer.
It especially is true of food with sauces and provided they are warmed up thoroughly they can taste better 24hrs later why?
Thanks . chefsteph

This is a simple question with a very comperhensive answer. Which I will not give at whole, off course.

Basically, taste (or flavour) is a very complicated matter. There are many, many reactions that can take place during 24 hours and cause change of taste, for worse or better. These may include:
1. Restructuring of molecules (retrogradation of starches)
2. Diffusiong of sauces and flavour molecules.
3. Breakdown of molecules (for example, proteins break down to forms of MSG, which is a great flavour enhancer)
4. Continuing reactions such as mailard which creates new flavors
5. Acid breakdown of meat fibers (marinading effect)

Regarding food safety, you can note that if a dish had been especially prepared to be served the following day, its safety can be easily maintained. Basically, you need to cool it quickly and keep it cold until reheating. If it's not leftovers, and the dish had not been tampered with, spoilage will take time. If, for example, you put the boiling dish directly in a clean container and use it to sterilize the container (the way the use hot jam to clean its own jar)- if can last for a very long time.

This is a simple question with a very comperhensive answer. Which I will not give at whole, off course.

Basically, taste (or flavour) is a very complicated matter. There are many, many reactions that can take place during 24 hours and cause change of taste, for worse or better. These may include:
1. Restructuring of molecules (retrogradation of starches)
2. Diffusiong of sauces and flavour molecules.
3. Breakdown of molecules (for example, proteins break down to forms of MSG, which is a great flavour enhancer)
4. Continuing reactions such as mailard which creates new flavors
5. Acid breakdown of meat fibers (marinading effect)

Regarding food safety, you can note that if a dish had been especially prepared to be served the following day, its safety can be easily maintained. Basically, you need to cool it quickly and keep it cold until reheating. If it's not leftovers, and the dish had not been tampered with, spoilage will take time. If, for example, you put the boiling dish directly in a clean container and use it to sterilize the container (the way the use hot jam to clean its own jar)- if can last for a very long time.

Thanks for the scientific answer itay.sh...I am impressed. I have something to tell my friends now.

Regards,
Simon

Dear Itay.sh,

Basically, taste (or flavour) is a very complicated matter. There are many, many reactions that can take place during 24 hours and cause change of taste, for worse or better. These may include:
1. Restructuring of molecules (retrogradation of starches)
2. Diffusiong of sauces and flavour molecules.
3. Breakdown of molecules (for example, proteins break down to forms of MSG, which is a great flavour enhancer)
4. Continuing reactions such as mailard which creates new flavors
5. Acid breakdown of meat fibers (marinading effect)

Thank you for the input and was useful for my chefs too.
Also to Chef Step for asking it here.

Hi, i'm new to the forum and have been on the web trying to find the answer to the above,I'm a Chef and have all recognised qualifications and totally underpin food safety but I've been asked this Q and don't know the answer.
It especially is true of food with sauces and provided they are warmed up thoroughly they can taste better 24hrs later why?
Thanks . chefsteph

Hi,
This happens mostly in spiced food preparations (like soups, pickles, curries, etc.), as the spices interact intensely with the components of food (esp. proteins) after some time lag and intense/additional heat treatment brings this desired effect. But, it is utmost essential to determine their shelf file and chemical changes (if any), to ensure that the food remains safe, if preserved to enhance taste.

Regards,
Hiral