http://ask.metafilter.com/tags/orangechicken Questions tagged with 'orangechicken' at Ask MetaFilter. Thu, 08 Mar 2007 07:34:44 -0800 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 07:34:44 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://ask.metafilter.com/58316/Why%2Ddo%2Dorange%2Dchicken%2Dvapors%2Dmake%2Dme%2Dcough This question is about chinese fast-food orange chicken (the deep-fried amorphous nuggets with a thick tangy glaze). When I take a deep smell from a hot bowl of this chicken, or hold it in my mouth and breathe around it, some sort of irritating vapor makes me cough (or stings my nose). Just one cough – enough to keep it from getting into my lungs. Once the chicken cools down (to mouth temperature, even) it doesn't happen. It reminds me of the reaction I've had sniffing acid in lab – could it be lots of volatile vinegar? I've experienced this with fast-food chicken in more than one college food court. tag:ask.metafilter.com,2007:site.58316 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 07:34:44 -0800 capsaicin chemistry chinesefood cough food orangechicken terpenoid vinegar lostburner