What You Need to Know
Spherification relies on the cross‑linking of sodium alginate with calcium ions to form a gel shell, while foaming is stabilized by soy lecithin emulsifying air bubbles at controlled temperatures. Agar‑agar gelation is driven by the helix‑to‑sheet transition of polysaccharide chains upon heating and subsequent cooling. These reactions are highly sensitive to concentration, temperature, and timing, making the technique a showcase of applied food chemistry.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Spherification, foaming, agar‑agar gelation