Rheology for the food industry

Rheological measurements are quite relevant in the food industry as a tool for physical characterization of raw material prior to processing, for intermediate products during manufacturing, and for finished foods. There are several approaches to conduct these rheological characterizations, and the selected technique pretty much depend on the specific product and the functional characteristics in need to be analyzed. Several different types of equipments arc available to scientists as a tool in food rheological studies leading to acceptable results in most design situations. This paper will focus on the review and discussion of some of the most relevant rheoloeical tests of current interest to the food industry in selected examples, i.e. gels and emulsions. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All riuhts reserved.