Chapter 1 - Interfacial characterization of food systems

Abstract

This chapter describes the interfacial characterization of food systems. It presents new well-researched methods and mechanisms that can be very helpful for the food researcher or developer. Many food products (salad dressings, whipped toppings, and ice creams ) are dispersed colloid systems, such as emulsions, suspensions, or foams. The texture, structure, and stability of these dispersions have fundamental importance for the food manufacturer. The interfacial area of fine dispersions is very high and thus, these interfaces strongly influence the behavior of the dispersions. The texture and structure of foods is very delicate, therefore, experimental methods that cause no or very little structural damage have to be applied in their investigations. The chapter discusses techniques, such as the surface force balance and back-light scattering methods and dielectrometry, and also presents new experimental techniques and several of their applications, which help in the understanding of the structure, texture, and stability of food systems. For future research, the mechanism of film stability by the micro layering of colloid particles seems to be the most promising, especially in food emulsions and foams. The structure and stability of foamed emulsions, such as whipped cream, ice cream, or whipped toppings, strongly depend on the inter-particle interactions and on the orientation of drops/particles at the foam films. The development of the surface force balance and back-light scattering techniques will aid in the understanding of the stability mechanisms in food dispersions.