Food microstructure examination

Chapter 11 deals with methods and techniques used to examine the microstructure of foods. In trying to relate micro structure and food properties the main problem is selecting the relevant scale at which elements interact to produce a given behavior or... 

Very often, the microstructure and the macroscopic states of dispersions are determined by kinetic and thermodynamic considerations. While thermodynamics dictates what the equilibrium state will be, kinetics determine how fast that equilibrium state will be determined. While in thermodynamics the initial and final states must be determined, in kinetics the path and any energy barriers are important. The electrostatic and the electrical double-layer (the two charged portions of an inter cial region) play important roles in food emulsion stability. The Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Oveibeek (DLVO) theory of colloidal stability has been used to examine the factors affecting colloidal stability. 

The hurdles affecting the shelf life of foods also influence other food properties, including texture. The effects of several physical, chemical, and mechanical treatments should be carefully considered in developing new processes and products. It is not enough to describe the composition of a food product and to determine the conditions and types of unit operation necessary to achieve the required quality. How the major food components, such as water, salt, hydrocolloids, starches, lipids, proteins, flavors, and additives, interact with each other and affect the product quality with respect to microstructure, texture, and appearance should be examined. 

Using spatially resolved Eourier transform infrared microbeam spectroscopy to examine the microstructure of wheat kernels. Cereal Foods World, 38 (1), 9-20. 

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