Food Properties and Computer-Aided Engineering of Food Processing Systems

Food properties, whether they concern the physical, thermodynamic, chemical, nutritional or sensory characteristics of foods, play an important role in food processing. In our quest to gain a mechanistic understanding of changes occurring during food processing, the knowledge of food properties is essential. Quantitative information on the food properties is necessary in the design and operation of food processing equipment. Foods, because of their biological nature and variability, vary in the magnitude of their properties. The variation in properties offer a challenge both in their measurement and use in the food processing applications. Often a high level of precision in measurement of properties is not possible as the measurement method may itself cause changes to the product, resulting in a variation in the obtained values. Recognizing the difficulties in measurement of food properties, and the lack of completeness of such information, several research programs have been in existence during the last two decades. In Europe, a multinational effort has been underway since 1978. The first project supported by COST (European Cooperation in the Field of Scientific and Technical Research), was titled COST 90 "The Effect of Processing on the Physical Properties of Foodstuffs". This and another project COST 90bis have considerably added to our knowledge of measurement methods and data on a number of physical properties. Two publications that summarize the work conducted under 1 2 these projects are Physical Properties of Foods and Physical Properties of Foods.