This overview describes ideas and techniques for the study of structure and dynamics of direct relevance to food. It pays particular attention to the microstructure and rheology of concentrated systems containing deformable particles, emulsion droplets and gas bubbles, and describes factors affecting the composition, structure and dynamic properties of fluid interfaces, particularly the role of adsorbed polymers and surfactants in controlling stability. In addition, coverage of the application of new physical concepts to systems containing fat crystals and starch particles gives insight into the processing of food colloids.

Manufactured foodstuffs typically exist in the form of complex, multi-phase, multi-component, colloidal systems. One way to try to make sense of their chemical and structural complexity is to study simple model systems in which the nature and properties of the polymer molecules and dispersed particles are relatively well known. This volume consists of a collection of papers delivered at a conference on food colloids, the main theme of which was the role of food macromolecules in determining the stability, structure, texture and rheology of food colloids, with particular reference to gelling behaviour and interactions between macromolecules and interfaces. A feature of the collection is the wide range of physico-chemical techniques now being used to address problems in this field.

Food macromolecules play a crucial role in the formulation of a wide range of food products such as beverages, bread, cheese, dressings, desserts, ice-cream, and spreads. This book presents the very latest research in the area and is unique in covering both proteins and polysaccharides in the same volume. Specifically it describes recent experimental and theoretical macromolecules in solutions, suspensions, gels, glasses, emulsions and foams. Food Macromolecules and Colloids takes a fundamental approach to complex systems, providing an understanding of the physico-chemical role of macromolecular interactions in controlling the behaviour of real and model food colloids. It gives special attention to adsorbed protein layers, the stability of emulsions and foams, and the viscoelasticity and phase behaviour of mixed polysaccharide systems, as well as to the rheology and microstructure of biopolymer gels, and the interaction of proteins with lipids and aroma compounds. This attractive, typeset publication gives exceptionally broad international coverage of the subject and will make interesting reading for postgraduates, lecturers and researchers with interests in food science, surface and colloid science and polymer science.

Food Colloids: Interactions, Microstructure and Processing describes the principles and practice underlying the formulation of food emulsions, dispersions, gels, and foams. Emphasis is on understanding how the functional properties of biopolymers and surfactants determine the texture and shelf-life of multiphase food materials. This book provides essential new findings by experts in the field on specific topics including: the interfacial rheological properties of proteins; the use of microscopy and image analysis to probe structure and phase transitions; the control of colloidal stability during thermal and mechanical processing; the interactions of proteins with polysaccharides and emulsifiers; the incorporation of neutraceuticals into food colloids; and the consumer perception of taste and texture. Food Colloids: Interactions, Microstructure and Processing provides a link between current research on the fundamental physical chemistry of colloidal systems and the requirements of the food technologist to use modern colloid science in new product formulation. It is suitable for postgraduates and researchers, both in industry and academia.

The field of food colloids is concerned with the physical chemistry of food systems viewed as assemblies of particles and macromolecules in various stages of supramolecular and microscopic organization. Butter, cheese, ice cream, margarine mayonnaise and yogurt are all examples of food colloids. This book describes experimental and theoretical developments in the field over the past 10-15 years. The authors have tried to strike a reasonable balance between theory and experiment, between principles and applications, and between molecular and physical approaches to the subject.

Food scientists aim to control the taste and texture of existing food products and to formulate new structures of high quality using novel combinations of ingredients and processing methods. Food Colloids, Biopolymers and Materials describes the physical chemistry and material science underlying the formulation and behaviour of multi-phase food systems and includes: * descriptions of new experimental techniques * recent food colloids research findings * authoritative overviews of conceptual issues Essential new findings are presented and emphasis is placed on the interfacial and gelation properties of food proteins, and the role of colloidal and biopolymer interactions in determining the properties of emulsions, dispersions, gels and foams. Specific topics include: confocal microscopy; diffusing wave spectroscopy; protein-polysaccharide interactions; biopolymer phase separation; fat crystallization; bubble/droplet coalescence; and bulk and surface rheology. This book is the latest addition to the highly regarded food colloid series published by the Royal Society of Chemistry and is of relevance to those working and researching in food science and surface and colloid science.