Knowledge of food physics will help innovative product creation.

The food industry is challenged by its continuous need to adapt. Changes in markets and consumer behavior are the main driving forces behind this need. New opportunities in the areas of raw materials, ingredients and production technologies require us to develop new strategies for formulating and producing products.

To meet the demands of change, we often will need a basic knowledge of food physics. This know-how will help the industry improve existing products and develop new ones. A better understanding of food physics will help scientists relate the molecular properties of ingredients with the macroscopic functional properties of food materials. Product developers can apply this information to help them optimize the functional properties of food materials and to develop novel functional structures.

Food physics deals with the structure and function of foods and their constituents from a physico-chemical perspective. Food physics not only involves studies of the influence of physico-chemical properties of raw materials, ingredients and intermediate products on final product quality but also understanding the effects of processing on the physico-chemical properties of ingredients and final products. The rheology of semi-flexible protein systems, gel formation in protein stabilized emulsions and the phase behavior of whey proteins and polysaccharide systems all involve aspects of food physics.

Furthermore, determining food texture and the effect that tailor-made ingredients, enzymes and other additives have on the physico-chemical properties of foods is paramount if researchers are to develop innovative products. Scientists at the TNO Nutrition and Food Research Institute combine their knowledge of food physics with various disciplines such as biochemistry, analytical chemistry and food technology, to meet the demands of the industry--from primary processor to end-user consumer.

The food physics group at TNO has expertise in emulsion and foam properties, relating to both formation and stability. Special equipment is available for use in studying the bulk and surface rheological behavior of such components as proteins, carbohydrates and other surface-active components.

The group's knowledge base covers water activity in foods, crystallization, and the thermal behavior of food products and ingredients. The availability of spectroscopic techniques makes it possible for researchers to perform structure analysis on a molecular level.

Further information. A. Jurgens, TNO Nutrition and Food Research, Utrechtseweg 48, 3704 HE Zeist, P.O. Box 360, 3700 AJ Zeist, The Netherlands; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; URL: www.voeding.tno.nl.