Engineering nutritional properties

Rheology is the science of deformation and flow of matter. In food rheology, the matter of interest is food, and the importance of its deformation and flow relate to several important properties. Of these, texture is the most important. Texture is one of four quality factors of foods the others are flavor, appearance, and nutrition. In the food industry, there are other properties and processes in which rheology has an important role. They include formulation, manufacturing, transportation, and shelf stability. The measurement of the rheological properties of foods provides the food scientist and engineer with critical information necessary for the successful development and delivery of formulated foods to the consumer. 

The term nutraceutical, coined in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, arises from combination of two words, nutrition and pharmaceutical, and defines food or food products that can provide medical and health benefits, including prevention and treatment of disease. Whole grains, beans, and herbs are known to include natural products with therapeutic potential, but fruits and vegetables are their main natural source. Edible mushrooms have also been reported to have medicinal properties [8,9]. Fortified foods, dietary supplements, herbal products, genetically engineered foods, and processed products such as cereals, soups, and beverages are considered nutraceuticals, even when in most cases bioactive components have not been scientifically standardized [10]. 

Performance polymers are used transitionally as solid-state materials in construction, transport, electrical engineering, etc., where their bulk mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties are exploited. At the same time, solutions of polymers are found in a large number of industrial processes and applications, from oil recovery to home and personal care products, agriculture, nutrition, etc. Polymerization processes are usually performed in a liquid phase with a subsequent purification of targeted product. 

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