Scalding is a form of thermal burn resulting from heated such as boiling water or steam. Most scalds are considered first- or second-degree burns, but third-degree burns can result, especially with prolonged contact. The term is from the Latin word calidus, meaning hot.Mosby's Medical, Nursing & Allied Health Dictionary, Fourth Edition, Mosby-Year Book Inc., 1994, p. 1395.
Scalds can be more severe when steam impinges on the naked skin, because steam can reach higher temperatures than water, and it transfers latent heat by condensation. However, when clothes are soaked with hot water, the heat transfer is often of a longer duration, since the body part cannot be removed from the heat source as quickly.
The American Burn Association states that a scalding injury occurs when skin is placed in contact with water measuring 155 degrees Fahrenheit, or 68 degrees Celsius, for one second.
| +Degrees (F) x Time (s) !155 (68.33 °C) !148 (64.44 °C) !140 (60 °C) !133 (56.11 °C) !125 (51.66 °C) | ||||
| 1 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 90 |
Scalds are more common in children, especially from the accidental spilling of hot liquids.
In cooking, milk is typically scalded to increase its temperature, or to change the consistency or other cooking interactions due to the denaturing of proteins.
Recipes that call for scalded milk include café au lait, baked milk, and ryazhenka. Scalded milk is used in yogurt to make the proteins unfold, and to make sure that all organisms that could out-compete the yogurt culture's bacteria are killed.
Milk is both scalded and also cooled in many recipes, such as for bread and other yeast doughs, as pasteurization does not kill all bacteria, and the wild yeasts that may also be present can alter the texture and flavor. In addition, scalding milk improves the rise due to inhibition of bread rise by certain undenatured milk proteins.Corriher, Shirley. CookWise: The Hows & Whys of Successful Cooking, The Secrets of Cooking Revealed. New York: William Morrow Cookbooks, 1997. .
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