Glass Transition and Phase Transitions in Food and Biological Materials

Glass transition has proved useful in the understanding of structure–function relationships of food and biomaterials, and can govern food processing, product properties, quality, safety, and stability.

Glass Transition and Phase Transitions in Food and Biological Materials presents the most up–to–date information on the glass transition of various food and biopolymers, their measurement technique, influence on the thermomechanical properties, and above all discussions on the most demanding biopolymers in today s market, including polylactides, gelatin and chitosan.  Additionally, the book describes how the glass transition concept has been employed to food micro–structure, food processing, product development, storage studies, packaging development among others. Thermal properties of food powders and influencing parameters, including sticking, collapse, caking, agglomeration, crystallization, and storage, have been addressed. Various mathematical treatments related to thermal properties are also woven throughout the text.

This book will serve as a comprehensive reference book for students, researchers and food, biopolymer, pharmaceutical and biotechnology professionals, providing invaluable and up–to–date insight into thermal properties in food.

List of Contributors

Preface

Chapter 1 Thermal and Relaxation Properties of Food and Biopolymers with Emphasis on Water

Chapter 2 Glass Transition Thermodynamics and Kinetics

Chapter 3 Glass Transition of Globular Proteins from Thermal and High Pressure Perspectives

Chapter 4 Crystal–melt phase change of food and biopolymers

Chapter 5 Thermal properties of food and biopolymer using relaxation techniques

Chapter 6 Plasticizers for biopolymer films

Chapter 7 Crystallization kinetics and applications to food and biopolymers

Chapter 8 Thermal Transitions, Mechanical Relaxations and Microstructure of Hydrated Gluten Networks

Chapter 9 Implication of glass transition to drying and stability of dried foods

Chapter 10 Water–Glass Transition Temperature Profile during Spray Drying of Sugar Rich Foods

Chapter 11 State diagram of foods and its importance to food stability during storage and processing

Chapter 12 Thermal properties of polylactides and stereocomplex

Chapter 13 Thermal properties of gelatin and chitosan

Chapter 14 Protein characterization by thermal property measurement

Chapter 15 High Pressure Water–Ice Transitions in Aqueous and Food Systems

Chapter 16 Pasting properties of starch: Effect of particle size, hydrocolloids and high–pressure

Index

About the Editor:
Jasim Ahmed is Research Scientist, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait.
Associate Editors:
Mohammad Shafiur Rahman is Professor, Sultan Qaboos University, Sultanate of Oman.
Yrjö H. Roos is Professor, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College Cork, Ireland.