Crystallization in foods
2002; Elsevier BV; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/b978-075067012-8/50015-x
Autores Tópico(s)Freezing and Crystallization Processes
ResumoThe crystalline structure of foods is important to product quality, texture, and stability. It is this crystalline structure and other structural elements that determine product appearance, mechanical properties during handling, mouthfeel during consumption, and shelf stability. To control crystallization, it is necessary to have an understanding of the phase behavior of the system, some knowledge of nucleation and growth kinetics, and the effects of both formulation and processing conditions on this kinetics. In foods, two circumstances for controlling the formation of crystals can be distinguished: those where the crystals provide an element of structure in the product and those where crystallization is a separation process. There are many factors that influence crystallization in food products. In many products, the goal of crystallization is to generate a certain texture or appearance that makes the product acceptable. Thus, nucleating many crystals that remain small within the product itself is often the goal. There must be many crystals with small mean size and narrow distribution. The crystals also must have the proper shape and/or polymorph to enhance stability of the product during storage and distribution. However, in other types of products, crystallization is undesired even though the system is supersaturated. In these cases, techniques are used to prevent crystallization from occurring during storage, because this leads to unacceptable product quality.
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