Quando a química encontra os sabores: Maillard, caramelização e o ensino investigativo nas experiências sensoriais

Abstract

This study presented an applied pedagogical proposal with an exploratory and experimental approach, grounded in the development of an interdisciplinary and sensorial educational practice that integrates Chemistry and Gastronomy. The main objective was to develop and implement a multisensory experimental teaching material designed to teach fundamental chemical concepts (pH, Ponderal Laws, and Chemical Kinetics) through the contextualization of caramelization and Maillard reactions. The research was carried out with a 1st-year high school class from a state school located in the municipality of Medianeira, Paraná, Brazil. The project was structured in four pedagogical meetings that combined theoretical and practical moments. In the first step, a diagnostic questionnaire is followed by a dialogic lecture to identify students’ prior knowledge and introduce theoretical concepts related to pH, Ponderal Laws, and chemical transformations. The second and third meetings involved multisensory experimental workshops in which students actively participated in preparing foods, observing and analyzing caramelization and Maillard processes from an investigative and interdisciplinary perspective. Finally, in the fourth meeting, a final questionnaire was applied to compare initial and final perceptions, evidencing conceptual progress and meaningful learning achieved through the proposed methodology. The adopted methodology was a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, with both exploratory and experimental characteristics. The results highlighted the potential of investigative and sensorial practices in Chemistry teaching, enhancing the understanding of chemical phenomena, fostering scientific curiosity, and valuing the construction of knowledge in real school contexts.