system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why do almost all ready meals have to be cooked at 180°C? What's so special about that temperature?
gpt
It's because it will allow the Maillard reaction to happen. That's a reaction between sugar and protein, which creates a lot of flavor and brown color - it's what makes bread crust and grilled meat so tasty. If the oven is much colder than that, the surface will not reach a high enough temperature and the food will start drying out before becoming brown, whereas a much higher temperature will quickly burn the food.