People put lemon juice, a source of citric acid, on fish to quench the "fishy" smell, even on perfectly good fish fillets. What type of chemical reaction is occurring when people are quenching the fishy smell by adding lemon juice?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Adding lemon juice, which is acidic, to the fish creates an acid-base reaction where the citric acid in the lemon juice reacts with the amine compounds in the fish that cause the "fishy" smell. This reaction results in the formation of water and a salt, which does not have the same odor as the original amine compounds. Therefore, the fishy smell is diminished or eliminated.

People Put Lemon Juice, a Source of Citric Acid, on Fish