A popular chemical name for an everyday dish is "denatured protein complex with partial Maillard reaction." This dish undergoes a number of fascinating chemical processes that give it its unique texture and taste. When you start heating the denatured protein complex, denaturation occurs. This is a process in which the protein molecules, which are normally folded into a specific three-dimensional structure, fall apart and lose their original shape due to the heat. This unfolding causes the proteins to unfold and form new, often more stable, connections. This process is irreversible and results in the solid, white substance we observe.