Teen’s scientific passion leads to debunking theory on famed ‘black eggs’ in Hakone

5 comments

1. >Takano’s detailed analysis of the black substance produced surprising results. The substance turned out to be an organic melanoidin created by the Maillard reaction, the chemical reaction between heated sugars and amino acids known for giving golden brown colors and aromas to foods such as bread crust and roasted marshmallows. The process is also what gives miso and soy sauce their brown color.

   >It was discovered that the melanoidin reacts to the hot springs’ sulfur to develop a sturdy, rubberlike structure coating the eggs’ shells, and that the amino acid with which it reacts is from a biogenic protein.

2. Congrats to this kid, hope they verify this further and change all those tourism speeches about the eggs.

3. Sounds like this Boy has a bright future ahead of him, well done!

4. Pretty cool actually

5. i wonder if this “debuking” will lead to drastic decrease of eggs sold and the people in the tourism industry in that area will sue this young man