The Chemistry of Peanut Butter

Introduction

• The molecular formula for sucrose is C12H22O11
• Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (Cottonseed, Soybean, and Rapeseed)
• Salt
  • Made up of Sodium and Chlorine
• NaCl

Main Chemicals, Compounds, Components

• Roasted peanuts
  • C57H104O6
  • Peanuts are a legume, not a nut. It grows from a plant above ground and are harvested across the world.
• Sugar - Sucrose
  • C12H22O11
• Sucrose is a table sugar that is created in plants such as sugar cane. It is used in many foods including being a main component in peanut butter.

Chemistry's Role

• Roasted Peanuts
  • Naturally occurring
  • It takes 10 days after planting to see a sprout appear above ground. Yellow flowers on the plants then begin to bloom within 40 days after planting. The flowers then pollinate themselves and the petals fall off. This then starts the process of the “peanut ovary.” This ovary creates a vine off of the plant and penetrates the ground. Peanuts are usually harvested 120-160 days after being planted.
• Sugar - Sucrose
  • Somewhat naturally occurring
  • Sucrose is a sugar that is usually an added ingredient to foods. Although it sometimes occurs naturally in foods, it is also created in a factory environment. In each situation, different, but similar, tastes arise.
• Peanut butter is somewhat man-made. Its main ingredient is peanuts, in which is not man-made and has to be planted in order to create a peanut. The factory process of peanut butter makes it man-made.

Background Research

• In a serving of 2 TB Skippy Creamy peanut butter:
  • Calories - 190
  • Calories from fat - 140
  • Total fat - 16.0 g - 25%
    • Saturated fat - 3.0 g - 15%
    • Trans Fat - 0 g
  • Cholesterol - 0 mg - 0%
  • Sodium - 150 mg - 6%
  • Total Carbohydrates - 7.0 g - 2%
    • Dietary Fiber - 2.0 g - 8%
    • Sugars - 3.0 g
  • Protein - 7.0 g - 7%
  • Iron - 4%
  • Vitamin E - 10%
  • Niacin - 20%
• Ingredients of Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter
  • Roasted Peanuts
  • Sugar
  • Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (Cottonseed, Soybean, and Rapeseed)
  • Salt
• How is it made?
  • Harvested peanuts are taken to buying stations to be determine the value and quality. They are also weighed and and graded.
  • Peanuts are then transferred the shelling plants where peanuts are sorted by size, shelled and inspected. The peanuts are packed into boxes, bags, and even railcars and delivered to manufacturers.
  • Manufacturers inspect all of the peanuts for quality and then roast them in large ovens.The peanuts are are cooled rapidly to prevent being overcooked and the loss of oil.
  • In a process called blanching, the outer skin is removed by machines that rubs the peanuts between rubber belts. The peanuts are cleaned and sorted one last time.
  • Lastly, the peanuts are ground up in two stages. One long grinding stage would produce way too much heat, damaging the wonderful flavor of the peanuts. In the first stage, the peanuts are ground alone. In the second stage, all of the ingredients are added.
  • TaDa!!!! You have peanut butter!
  • The whipped peanut butter is then sent to packaging departments where they package and label the peanut butter.
• Where is it made?
• Skippy’s Creamy Peanut Butter is produced and packaged in the United States.

Resources

http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-skippy-creamy-i82815

Nutritional Facts

http://johnnydepp1379.blogspot.com/2011/04/skippy-by-alec-minnicks.html

Picture of Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter Jar

http://peanutbutterlovers.com/pb-lovers/pb101/how-its-made/

How peanut butter is made; Info on different types of peanuts

http://ellerbruch.nmu.edu/classes/cs255w03/cs255students/awozniak/p4/funfacts.html

Molecular formula of peanuts

http://www.nationalpeanutboard.org/classroom-farmingtoday.php

Planting stages of peanuts

http://www.seriouseats.com/2007/04/some-peanut-butter-stats-it.html

Stats on peanut butter

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