Texture in Food

Volume 1 and 2 summarises the wealth of recent research on what influences texture in semi-solid foods and how it can be controlled to maximise product quality.

Part one of Volume 1 reviews research on the structure of semi-solid foods and its influence on texture, covering emulsion rheology, the behaviour of biopolymers and developments in measurement. Part two considers key aspects of product development and enhancement. It includes chapters on engineering emulsions and gels, and the use of emulsifiers and hydrocolloids. The final part of the book discusses improving the texture of particular products, with chapters on yoghurt, spreads, ice cream, sauces and dressings.

The first part of Volume 2 reviews research on understanding how consumers experience texture when they eat, and how they perceive and describe key textural qualities such as crispness. Part two considers the instrumental techniques used for analysing texture. It includes chapters on force/deformation and sound input techniques, near infrared spectroscopy (NIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The final part examines how the texture of particular foods may be better understood and improved. A number of chapters review ways of controlling the texture of fruits and vegetables, including the role of plant structure and compounds, the handling of raw materials and technologies such as freezing and vacuum infusion. A final group of chapters discuss the texture of cereal foods, including bread, rice, pasta and fried food.

"…provides detailed information on the principles and applications of rheology, and is therefore an excellent reference for students, academics and industrial researchers interested in food rheology, in particular with respect to food structure." —Carbohydrate Polymers (volume 1)

"…a very useful guide for anybody in the field of food science who is or would like to be involved in texture related studies."—International Journal of Food Science and Technology (volume 2)

"…this book is a timely and noteworthy presentation by many experts in the field of food texture studies. …strongly recommend this book to anyone in academia or industry."—Institute of Chemical Engineers (volume 2)