1376: "Explosive Pancake Batter"
Interesting Things with JC #1376: "Explosive Pancake Batter" – A squeeze bottle. A kitchen. A bang. What looked like a gunshot was actually breakfast science under pressure...literally.
Curriculum - Episode Anchor
Episode Title: Explosive Pancake Batter
Episode Number: #1376
Host: JC
Audience: Grades 9–12, college intro, homeschool, lifelong learners
Subject Area: Food Chemistry, Physics, Safety Science, Microbiology
Lesson Overview
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Define fermentation and explain how it contributes to gas buildup in food products.
Compare pressure buildup in sealed food containers with common examples (e.g., tires, soda bottles).
Analyze the science behind food safety recommendations regarding storage of fermenting mixtures.
Explain the physics of pressure vessels and their relevance to everyday food handling.
Key Vocabulary
Fermentation (/ˌfər.mənˈteɪ.ʃən/) — A metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes; in the episode, fermentation of pancake batter produces carbon dioxide gas.
Carbon Dioxide (/ˌkɑːr.bən daɪˈɒk.saɪd/) — A gas produced during fermentation that can build pressure when trapped inside a sealed container.
Pressure Vessel (/ˈpreʃ.ər ˈves.əl/) — A container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure different from the ambient pressure; used metaphorically in the episode to describe sealed batter bottles.
Microorganisms (/ˌmaɪ.kroʊˈɔːr.ɡə.nɪ.zəmz/) — Tiny living organisms like bacteria and yeast that contribute to fermentation in flour, milk, and eggs.
Food Safety (/fuːd ˈseɪf.ti/) — Guidelines and practices that help prevent foodborne illnesses; in this context, recommendations against sealing fermenting mixtures.
Narrative Core (Based on the PSF – Renamed Labels)
Open – A quiet morning in a diner is shattered by a loud bang from a seemingly harmless squeeze bottle of pancake batter.
Info – Explanation of the composition of pancake batter and how it naturally contains microorganisms from flour, milk, and eggs that cause fermentation.
Details – The science of gas buildup from fermentation, resulting in high internal pressure; how this applies across foods like kombucha, kimchi, and old soda bottles.
Reflection – A reminder that in kitchens, unexpected dangers like gas pressure can pose more risk than knives or heat.
Closing – "These are interesting things, with JC."
A glass jar of pancake batter explodes on a kitchen counter, with batter erupting upward in a dramatic splash. Surrounding the jar are spilled flour, an open egg, and a metal lid, emphasizing the mess and force of the explosion. The image features bold header text: "Interesting Things with JC #1376 – Explosive Pancake Batter."
Transcript
Interesting Things with JC #1376: "Explosive Pancake Batter"
It was early morning in a small-town diner, before the breakfast rush. A cook grabbed a squeeze bottle of pancake batter that had been in the fridge overnight and tipped it toward the griddle. Then… bang. A loud crack snapped through the kitchen. The cap flew across the room, smacked the wall, and dropped to the floor. For a second, she just stood there, thinking somebody had fired a gun.
The reason was not what you might expect. Pancake batter can get dangerous if it is sealed up. Flour has natural microorganisms, and milk and eggs bring more. Give it some time, especially if there is yeast or sugar, and it starts to ferment. Fermentation produces carbon dioxide gas, and unlike steam, that gas cannot escape unless there is an opening. Put it in a mason jar or a plastic bottle with the lid on tight, and you have built yourself a pressure vessel.
In fermentation science, that trapped gas can push the pressure past 20 pounds per square inch, about 138 kilopascals, which is about the same as a car tire. That is enough to blow the top clean off or split a thin plastic bottle. Food safety agencies like the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture warn against sealing fermenting foods without a way for gas to get out, and pancake batter counts.
It is not a brand-new problem. Back when soda came in thick glass bottles, they sometimes burst from gas building up inside. During World War II, people using ration bread recipes learned the hard way — seal the dough and it could blow. These days, it is the same science behind exploding kombucha bottles or jars of kimchi… and yes… pancake batter.
Most restaurant kitchens play it safe by tossing or venting batter after a day. At home, you can do the same: keep it loosely covered, leave some space at the top, or just make what you are going to use right away.
Because in a kitchen, it is not always the knives or the hot oil that get you. Sometimes it is the stuff you would never think twice about… until it builds up enough pressure to make itself known.
These are interesting things, with JC.
Student Worksheet
What caused the pancake batter bottle to explode?
How does fermentation create pressure in sealed containers?
Why is it dangerous to store fermenting foods in sealed bottles or jars?
Compare the pressure generated by fermenting batter to something else with a similar pressure.
Think of another common household item that might pose a hidden danger. Describe how and why.
Teacher Guide
Estimated Time: 45–60 minutes
Pre-Teaching Vocabulary Strategy:
Introduce key terms using visual aids (e.g., pressure gauges, yeast packet, soda bottle demo).
Short pre-lesson on fermentation and microbial activity.
Anticipated Misconceptions:
Students may think only carbonated drinks explode from gas pressure.
Some may believe flour alone cannot ferment or that batter in the fridge is completely safe.
Discussion Prompts:
What are other examples of everyday fermentation?
Should restaurants label batter expiration more clearly?
Why is pressure dangerous even in a soft plastic container?
Differentiation Strategies:
ESL: Use illustrated vocabulary cards and sentence starters.
IEP: Offer sentence scaffolds and allow verbal responses.
Gifted: Encourage students to design a simple experiment measuring pressure from fermentation.
Extension Activities:
Design a safe pancake batter storage container with a built-in gas release system.
Research and present historical examples of food-related explosions (e.g., kimchi jars, WWII bread).
Write a food safety PSA based on this episode.
Cross-Curricular Connections:
Physics: Gas laws and pressure (Boyle’s Law).
Biology: Microbial activity in fermentation.
Chemistry: Chemical reactions in food.
History: WWII rationing and improvised recipes.
Quiz
Q1. What process caused gas to build up in the pancake batter bottle?
A. Freezing
B. Fermentation
C. Boiling
D. Oxidation
Answer: B
Q2. What kind of gas is produced during fermentation?
A. Oxygen
B. Helium
C. Carbon dioxide
D. Methane
Answer: C
Q3. How much pressure can fermenting batter generate in a sealed container?
A. 2 PSI
B. 10 PSI
C. 20 PSI
D. 50 PSI
Answer: C
Q4. Which agency warns against sealing fermenting foods?
A. NASA
B. EPA
C. USDA
D. CDC
Answer: C
Q5. What is a common safety practice in restaurant kitchens regarding batter?
A. Microwave it
B. Freeze it
C. Discard or vent it after a day
D. Mix it with vinegar
Answer: C
Assessment
Explain why it is dangerous to seal pancake batter in a tight container overnight.
Describe another example where fermentation or gas buildup could pose a risk in food or drink storage.
3–2–1 Rubric:
3 = Accurate, complete, thoughtful
2 = Partial or missing detail
1 = Inaccurate or vague
Standards Alignment
NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards):
HS-PS3-2 – Develop and use models to illustrate the changes in energy in systems; applies to pressure buildup in sealed containers.
HS-ETS1-2 – Design a solution to a complex real-world problem; applicable in designing safer containers.
HS-LS1-7 – Use a model to illustrate that cellular respiration (fermentation) releases energy.
CCSS (Common Core State Standards):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.3 – Follow precisely a multistep procedure; connects to safe food handling.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.2 – Determine central ideas or conclusions in a science text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-12.2 – Write explanatory texts conveying complex processes like fermentation.
ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education):
1.4 Innovative Designer – Students use technology to identify and solve problems through design (safe container for fermenting batter).
International Equivalents:
Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620) 6.1.1 – Describe and explain the importance of fermentation.
IB MYP Sciences Criterion D – Reflect on the implications of science in addressing food safety problems.
AQA GCSE Physics 4.3.3 – Pressure in gases and their effects in closed systems.
Show Notes
This episode of Interesting Things with JC explores how an ordinary kitchen mishap—an exploding pancake batter bottle—reveals deeper lessons in food chemistry, microbial fermentation, and physics. The show traces how natural ingredients like flour, milk, and eggs can produce enough gas through fermentation to mimic the pressure found in a car tire. Through this lens, JC guides listeners to reflect on the hidden dangers of sealed food containers and the importance of food safety standards. In the classroom, the topic is a perfect launch point for cross-disciplinary learning in biology, physics, and chemistry, helping students see real-world applications of scientific principles they may otherwise overlook.
References
Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (2020). Preventive control recommendations for manufacturing fermented and dried meat products. Government of Canada. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/preventive-controls/meat/fermented-and-dried
National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health. (2025, January 31). Fermented foods safety guidance: A new resource for public health practitioners. https://ncceh.ca/resources/blog/fermented-foods-safety-guidance-new-resource-public-health-practitioners
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. (n.d.). Keep food safe! Food safety basics. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/steps-keep-food-safe
