Rheological Principles for Food Analysis

Food scientists often need to measure physical properties related to both behavior during food processing and the sensory texture of food products. Rheological properties are determined by applying and measuring forces and deformations as a function of time. To convert these measurements into fundamental physics-based rheological properties requires an understanding of the material and testing method. This chapter covers the fundamentals of rheology, various rheological fluid models, and rheometry of three types: (1) compressions, extension, and torsion analysis, (2) rotational viscometry, and (3) oscillatory rheometry. In the rheometry section, numerous rheometers commonly used in the food industry are described. Also, a section in the chapter on tribology describes how this subfield of rheology is related to the friction-related textural attributes of food.