Investigative Task: To investigate the physical changes on the different baking duration of chicken fillet.

Have you ever wondered why do meat turn brown when baked? Why does it turn darker when treated with a more extensive heat treatment? What is the reason behind that browning reaction?
Our group carried out an investigative task to investigate the physical changes on the different baking duration of chicken fillet. So this is the result.

As seen in the diagram above, the chicken which acts as the Control is raw,Variation 1 is baked for 5 minutes, Variation 2 is baked for 20 minutes and Variation 3 is baked for 35 minutes. When chicken is baked loniger, it turns from translucent to opaque due to the coagulation of protein, then eventually exhibited some brownish coloration on the surface due to Maillard reaction.
Maillard reaction, is a type of non-enzymatic browning, where the simple sugars(carbonyl group) react with with the amino acids (amino group). During this reaction, the condensation of the amino group and carbonyl group results in a polymeric carbonyl-amine compound of low solubility. The conjugated double bonds of the products of this reaction account for the brown or yellowish coloration on the meat, in this case chicken.Maillard reaction generally only begin to occur above 140°C.

Therefore, the longer the chicken is baked,  greater extent of Maillard browning will occur.

Source:

http://www.mnstate.edu/provost/BCBT100%20Browning.pdf