Chapter 2 - New food structures and their influence on nutrition, health and well-being

Abstract

With health and wellness becoming a part of living, scientists and chefs around the world are looking forward to better solutions for the customization of nutrition. Consumption of foods containing higher amounts of sugar, fat, and salt leads to chronic diseases. Hence the need for sugar, fat, salt replacers with better functional property were in high demand. Also, a specifically tailored diet for dysphagic patients, children, astronauts, army personnel needs to be developed. To achieve this, a multidisciplinary approach is needed. The food structure design is the dedicated conception and fabrication of foods in such a way as to attain specific structures, functions, or properties. Beyond contributing to texture, sensory properties, shelf life, and stability, control of food structure can alter the kinetics and extent of food digestion. Different types of interactions also affect the taste perception, like interactions in the food matrix, peripheral physiological interactions, and mechanical/structural interactions during mastication impart flavor at a sensory level. This book chapter deals with new food structures which can impart nutritional and health benefits along with various contributing factors influencing the formation of new food structures an industrial perspective is discussed.