Food Materials Science and Engineering

Food materials science combines food physics, food chemistry and food processing and engineering into a single domain. Materials science involves the interdisciplinary study of the properties and behaviours of materials, and is a relatively new approach in the food and agricultural commodities sector. Its importance is increasingly recognised, however, driven by advances in disciplines such as polymer and biomedical sciences. The availability of many advanced material characterisation techniques, and the improved affordability of the required equipment, widens research possibilities in this area. Food Materials Science and Engineering looks at new techniques which can be used in the food industry to add value to food materials, ingredients and foods. Adding value to food materials is of vital commercial importance to the modern food industry as it seeks to meet consumer satisfaction, food safety and nutrient delivery in a rapidly advancing environment. The materials science approach has the potential to surpass traditional food science techniques in studying the structure and behaviour of food at the macro-, micro- and nano-levels, as well as developing our understanding of how nutrients are released and delivered. It is thought that this new approach will lead to improvements in the quality, shelf life and nutritional value of food products as well as offering the potential to develop new generation of products. This book will be invaluable in helping students and food scientists to understand the practical applications of materials science to food and biological materials. It introduces the historical background of the materials science and its relevance to food materials science, from the molecular basis upwards. Food materials properties, processing and performance are covered in depth, with reference to microstructures and sensory properties. The book also includes chapters on cutting edge topics, including phase transitions and the application of nanotechnology to food and food packaging.