Phase Transitions in Foods: Basic Science for the Modern Scientist

摘要

How can I control the size, diameter, and shape of a baking cookie while reducing the processing time? How can I control the network de-swelling of co-gels, such as maltodextrins and milk proteins? How can I reduce the effect of small amounts of minorconstituents (e.g., fats) in cereal starches? Can "fat bloom" in chocolate manufacturing be eliminated? All these questions can be answered through the study of phase transitions in foods. In the preface to their book, Phase/State Transitions in Foods...... Chemical, Structural, and Rheological Changes--the proceedings of IFT's 1997 Basic Symposium--Rao and Hartel (1998) stated that "An important goal of food scientists, technologists, and engineers is to develop desirable food structure and texture. Structure and texture in a food are the result of interactions among the food's chemical components and the phase/state transitions induced in them during processing and storage."