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pH and Acid-Base Chemistry in Food

The pH Scale in the Kitchen

pH measures hydrogen ion concentration on a logarithmic scale from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline), with 7 as neutral. Each unit represents a 10× change: lemon juice (pH 2) is 10 times more acidic than vinegar (pH 3) and 100 times more acidic than tomato sauce (pH 4). Common food pH values: gastric acid 1.5-3.5, lemon juice 2.0, vinegar 2.4-3.4, yogurt 4.0-4.6, coffee 5.0, milk 6.5-6.8, egg white 7.6-8.0, baking soda solution 8.3. Understanding pH explains why certain ingredient combinations work—and why some fail spectacularly.

pH and Acid-Base Chemistry in Food

The pH Scale in the Kitchen

pH measures hydrogen ion concentration on a logarithmic scale from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline), with 7 as neutral. Each unit represents a 10× change: lemon juice (pH 2) is 10 times more acidic than vinegar (pH 3) and 100 times more acidic than tomato sauce (pH 4). Common food pH values: gastric acid 1.5-3.5, lemon juice 2.0, vinegar 2.4-3.4, yogurt 4.0-4.6, coffee 5.0, milk 6.5-6.8, egg white 7.6-8.0, baking soda solution 8.3. Understanding pH explains why certain ingredient combinations work—and why some fail spectacularly.