ethanol
Molecular structure
Cooking relevance
Ethanol (C₂H₅OH, PubChem CID 702) is the primary volatile alcohol in fermented and distilled beverages. In cooking applications, ethanol serves as a solvent for flavor extraction and evaporates during heating, concentrating remaining compounds. Its presence in wine, whisky, and liqueurs contributes to both aroma development and the final taste profile of cooked dishes.
- aroma
- sharp · pungent · warming · solvent-like
- culinary role
- primary volatile in fermented/distilled beverages; evaporates during cooking to concentrate flavors
- mass spectra
- 3 experimental spectra
Mass spectrum
A real measured fragmentation pattern · 1 of 3 experimental spectra
Sensory signature
How this molecule tastes and smells · gold is measured, dashed is a model estimate
Receptor binding
Measured in literature · peer-reviewed · how this compound interacts with biological receptors
Biochemical reactions
Metabolic reactions from curated biochemical databases · peer-reviewed
a long-chain fatty acyl ethyl ester + H2O = a long-chain fatty acid + ethanol + H(+)
urethane + H2O + H(+) = ethanol + NH4(+) + CO2
ethanol + NAD(+) = acetaldehyde + NADH + H(+)
ethanol + a ubiquinone = a ubiquinol + acetaldehyde
Research associations
Literature-derived · peer-reviewed sources only · not medical advice
Research papers
988 peer-reviewed papers reference this compound · top-cited shown
Foods containing this compound



The common ling or simply the ling, Molva molva, is a large member of a family of cod-like fishes. An ocean fish whose habitat is in the Atlantic region and can be found around Iceland, Faroe Islands, British Isles, the Norse coast and occasionally around Newfoundland, the ling has a long slender body that can reach 2 metres in length; in adulthood, it is generally a deep-running fish, spending much of its life at depths of 100 m or more; younger fish are found at shallower depths. The ling is edible; its flesh is prized and can be considered interchangeable with cod in either its fresh, salted or dried forms. The salted roe of the ling is considered a delicacy in Spain and is known as huevas de maruca. The lutefisk – ling that is first dried, then soaked in water and then steeped in a lye of soda and slaked lime – is a traditional dish at the Christmas table in Sweden, Norway and Finland.
Verified Data
Compound identity and culinary context are continuously cross-referenced across open scientific databases and maintained by Foodgeist's enrichment pipeline.
The Geist can be wrong. Some flavor, taste, and pairing values are model-predicted, not lab-measured.
























