Cookbook:Baking Soda

| Basic foodstuffs | Leavening agent

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda is a chemical leavener.

Characteristics
Baking soda is an alkaline ingredient with a very bitter flavor. It reacts with acid to produce carbon dioxide gas that expands existing air pockets, which is what makes it useful as a leavening agent.

Selection storage
Baking soda is very stable and keeps for a very long time at or below room temperature and about 75% humidity.

Use
Baking soda is used as a leavening agent in many cakes, cookies, pancakes, some breads, and other foods. An acidic ingredient is required to obtain the desired rising effect of baking soda. Commonly used in this role are, , , , molasses, and. It should be noted that batters and doughs containing baking soda are not considered "bench stable" since they start releasing gas as soon as they are moistened and react with acid at room temperature.

Baking soda is also used to neutralize undesired acidity in foods, make noodles like ramen springier, tenderize beans when cooking, weaken and tenderize gluten and other proteins, increase spread of cakes and cookies, give shrimp a crispy texture and tenderize meat, and increase browning through the Maillard reaction.