CUBE ChatShaala Summary | 15.07.2025
Summary of Observations and Experiment
The ChatShaala began with a detailed case study on curd making in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, where the Sanika explored the feasibility of preparing curd in a non-native environment. Unlike India, curd is not commonly made at home in Al-Khobar. However, an experiment was successfully conducted using the following method:
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Milk was first boiled.
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It was then cooled to lukewarm temperature.
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Store-bought curd was used as the seed and mixed evenly into the milk.
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After an incubation period of 17 hours, curd formation was observed. The texture and taste closely resembled the commercial curd.
Notably, both the milk and curd were products of the same dairy company (Nadec), possibly ensuring consistency in bacterial strains used.
In comparison, the participant shared traditional practices from grandparents in India, where curd is made:
With a curd seed ( a spoon of previous batch ),
Or by using a green chilli stalk ( which contains natural lactic acid bacteria on its surface ).
Biology, Chemistry & Physics of Curd Formation
The second part of the ChatShaala dived into the molecular and biochemical aspects of curd formation. Key highlights:
Amino acids like glycine and alanine were discussed with visual representations of their structure.
Emphasis was placed on peptide bonds formed between amino acids during protein formation.
The role of COOH (carboxyl group) in curdling was highlighted, raising an intriguing question:
Is COOH an atom, a molecule, or a compound?
Participants discussed how milk proteins (mainly casein) undergo denaturation and coagulation under acidic conditions (due to bacterial fermentation producing lactic acid), leading to curd formation.
Cross-Cultural and Scientific Relevance
This session beautifully blended:
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Cultural practices of curd making in different geographies.
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Experimental approach using controlled conditions and commercial products.
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Fundamental chemistry involving protein structure, amino acids, and acidic pH influence.
Follow-Up Questions for Exploration
- Why does curd take longer to set in Saudi Arabia compared to India?
- Could environmental temperature or microbial flora be playing a role?
- What is the exact role of the green chilli in curd formation?
- Does it act only as a microbial source or also alter the pH?
- How does the same dairy company milk and curd combination influence the success rate of curd formation?
- Is strain compatibility between milk and starter curd critical?
- Can we isolate and identify the specific bacteria responsible for curd formation in both Indian and Saudi settings?
- Could this lead to the development of a “universal curd starter”?
- From Amino Acids to Curd: What transformations do milk proteins undergo chemically and physically during fermentation?
Group photographs from ChatShaala
Reference
@KiranKalakotiR @Arunan @Ayana_Sudheer @Chitralekha and others.