Food Structuring
Personal Notes
31/12/2022
WUR
Table of Contents
,Building Blocks and Structure................................................................................................................3
Building Blocks...................................................................................................................................4
Water.............................................................................................................................................4
Lipids..............................................................................................................................................4
Biopolymers...................................................................................................................................4
Liquid-Solid Transitions......................................................................................................................5
Crystallization................................................................................................................................5
Mathematics based on composition and dispersions’ rheology........................................................6
Complex Dispersed System (CDS) Formalism.....................................................................................7
Questions...........................................................................................................................................9
State Diagram & Glass Transition........................................................................................................11
States...............................................................................................................................................11
Diagrams..........................................................................................................................................12
Phase Diagram.............................................................................................................................12
State Diagram..............................................................................................................................13
Glass Transition................................................................................................................................14
Diffusion.......................................................................................................................................15
Semi-crystallinity and Cross-linking.................................................................................................15
Examples..........................................................................................................................................16
Summary..........................................................................................................................................18
Crystallization and Matrix Formation..................................................................................................19
Crystal Growth.................................................................................................................................20
Freezing & Thawing.........................................................................................................................20
Preventing ice crystal formation to save structure..........................................................................21
Freeze Drying...................................................................................................................................21
Summary..........................................................................................................................................21
, Building Blocks and Structure
Microscale <1µm
Mesoscale 1-103 µm
Macroscale >1mm (visual)
Food structure has to be evaluated at all of these lengths.
Microstructure, influenced by the ingredients. Bi-dispersed/ bi-continuous
microstructure=protein and fat are present as interconnected networks (cheese)
Mesostructure, affected by both processing conditions and ingredients.
Macrostructure, determined by the processing conditions.
Building blocks determine the state of the product (liquid, solid etc). Salts & other molecules tune
the properties of the building blocks.
Generally, a distinction can be made btw isotropic (equal properties in all directions in emulsion-
based products=cheese) and anisotropic (different properties depending on the direction meat,
fish) structures.
Personal Notes
31/12/2022
WUR
Table of Contents
,Building Blocks and Structure................................................................................................................3
Building Blocks...................................................................................................................................4
Water.............................................................................................................................................4
Lipids..............................................................................................................................................4
Biopolymers...................................................................................................................................4
Liquid-Solid Transitions......................................................................................................................5
Crystallization................................................................................................................................5
Mathematics based on composition and dispersions’ rheology........................................................6
Complex Dispersed System (CDS) Formalism.....................................................................................7
Questions...........................................................................................................................................9
State Diagram & Glass Transition........................................................................................................11
States...............................................................................................................................................11
Diagrams..........................................................................................................................................12
Phase Diagram.............................................................................................................................12
State Diagram..............................................................................................................................13
Glass Transition................................................................................................................................14
Diffusion.......................................................................................................................................15
Semi-crystallinity and Cross-linking.................................................................................................15
Examples..........................................................................................................................................16
Summary..........................................................................................................................................18
Crystallization and Matrix Formation..................................................................................................19
Crystal Growth.................................................................................................................................20
Freezing & Thawing.........................................................................................................................20
Preventing ice crystal formation to save structure..........................................................................21
Freeze Drying...................................................................................................................................21
Summary..........................................................................................................................................21
, Building Blocks and Structure
Microscale <1µm
Mesoscale 1-103 µm
Macroscale >1mm (visual)
Food structure has to be evaluated at all of these lengths.
Microstructure, influenced by the ingredients. Bi-dispersed/ bi-continuous
microstructure=protein and fat are present as interconnected networks (cheese)
Mesostructure, affected by both processing conditions and ingredients.
Macrostructure, determined by the processing conditions.
Building blocks determine the state of the product (liquid, solid etc). Salts & other molecules tune
the properties of the building blocks.
Generally, a distinction can be made btw isotropic (equal properties in all directions in emulsion-
based products=cheese) and anisotropic (different properties depending on the direction meat,
fish) structures.
