Does adding sugar to tomato type sauces affect acidity?
Many(most?) tomato based pasta sauces have added sugar, it is generally a very small amount. I have always heard this was done to reduce the acidity.
My main question: Does this little bit of sugar increase the pH enough to be noticeable?
Or, is this just to cut the sourness and balance the flavor (have we come to expect a slight sweetness in our pasta sauces)?
Best Answer
Weak organic acids such as those found in fruits and vegetables (citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid) don't react with sugars. 1 There is no change in acidity, which you correctly defined as measured by the pH.
At the same time, sweet and sour are two tastes which are real antagonists - adding something sweet actually reducess the sourness we perceive, as opposed to just distracting us from it. So the sugar changes the sourness (the taste), but not the acidity (the chemical property). Hearing it otherwise comes from the fact that most people don't even realize that there is a difference between the two terms, and use them interchangeably.
1 They can partake in reactions as catalysts, for example to create invert sugar when cooking up sugar syrup, but the acid itself does not react away.
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Quick Answer about "Does adding sugar to tomato type sauces affect acidity?"
The reason for sprinkling a pinch of sugar into a simmering saucepan of tomatoes is simple: sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and creates an overall more balanced sauce. The exact acid levels in tomatoes can vary quite a bit depending on whether they're fresh or canned, the tomato variety, and the time of year.Does sugar make sauce less acidic?
Some recipes call for adding baking soda to make a sauce less acidic. We've found that adding sugar does a better job of mellowing acidity and maintaining the sauce's complexity.How do you reduce the acidity in tomato sauce?
Heat 1 cup of sauce with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (baking soda neutralizes acidity). Taste the sauce and add tiny amounts of baking soda to see if it mellows the acidity. If there is still an edge, swirl in a teaspoon of butter, letting it melt until creamy. Usually this does the job.What to add to sauce to make it less acidic?
If your tomato sauce is too acidic and verging on bitter, turn to baking soda, not sugar. Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid. A little pinch should do the trick.Can you put sugar in tomato sauce?
It is not uncommon to add sugar to any tomato based sauce. Tomatoes, on their own, are quite acidic, so the sugar helps to cut down on that acidity. But this recipe is a little bit different. Most recipes have you adding sugar about a teaspoon at a time, until the acidity is neutralized.How to Decrease Acid in Pasta Sauce : Understanding Taste for Better Cooking
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