Understanding and controlling the microstructure of complex foods

Reviews the current understanding of significant aspects of food structure and methods for its control, and examines how the principles of structural design can be employed to improve the performance and functionality of foods.

It is widely accepted that the creation of novel foods or improvement of existing foods largely depends on a strong understanding and awareness of the intricate interrelationship between the nanoscopic, microscopic and macroscopic features of foods and their bulk physicochemical properties, sensory attributes and healthfulness. Understanding and controlling the microstructure of complex foods provides a review of current understanding of significant aspects of food structure and methods for its control.

Part 1 focuses on the fundamental structural elements present in foods such as polysaccharides, proteins and fats and the forces which hold them together. Part 2 discusses novel analytical techniques which can provide information on the morphology and behaviour of food materials. Chapters in Part 3 examine how the principles of structural design can be employed to improve performance and functionality of foods. The final part of the book discusses how knowledge of structural and physicochemical properties can be implemented to improve properties of specific foods such as ice-cream, spreads, protein-based drinks, chocolate and bread dough.

Understanding and controlling the microstructure of complex foods will be an essential reference for industry professionals and scientists concerned with improving the performance of existing food products and inventing novel food products.

Contents

Part 1 Microstructural elements and their interactions

• Polysaccharides: their role in food microstructure
• Proteins in food microstructure formation
• Structure and function of fat crystals
• Effects of water distribution and transport
• Structure and function of emulsifiers
• Colloidal systems in foods containing droplets and bubbles
• Ingredient interactions in complex foods: aggregation and phase separation

Part 2 Novel methods to study food microstructure

• Atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques
• Confocal fluorescence microscopy (CLSM)
• Advances in image analysis
• Food characterisation using scattering methods
• Acoustic techniques
• Modelling and computer simulation

Part 3 Microstructural-based approaches to design of functionality in foods

• Creation of novel microstructures through processing
• Influence of food microstructure on food rheology
• Influence of food microstructure on flavour interactions
• Relating food microstructure to sensory quality
• Physicochemical and structural aspects of lipid digestion
• Nanoscale liquid self-assembled dispersions in foods and the delivery of functional ingredients

Part 4 Microstructural approaches to improving food product quality

• Structure-engineering of ice-cream and foambased foods
• The texture and microstructure of spreads
• Cheese and yogurt products
• Microstructural aspects of protein-based drinks
• The microstructure of chocolate
• Bubble formation and stabilisation in bread dough
• Shelf-life of emulsion and gel-based products

ISBN: 978 1 84569 151 6