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Cohesiveness and flowability of particulated solid and semi-solid food systems
Aarti B Tobin1, Peggy Heunemann, Judith Wemmer
1School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. aarti.tobin@csiro.au.
Food & Function
|September 16, 2017
Summary
This study uses a ring shear tester to measure food cohesiveness and flowability. Findings show how moisture affects pea powder properties, aiding in dysphagia food formulation.
Area of Science:
- Food science and technology
- Rheology of complex fluids
- Biomechanical engineering of food processing
Background:
- Cohesiveness and flowability are critical for oral processing and swallowing, particularly for individuals with dysphagia.
- Objective measurement techniques for cohesiveness in semi-solid foods are currently limited.
- Understanding powder-to-paste transitions is essential for food product development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cohesiveness and flowability of a model particulated food system using a ring shear tester.
- To determine the impact of moisture absorption and particle swelling on food system properties.
- To establish guidelines for formulating food pastes with controlled cohesiveness.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a ring shear tester to assess cohesiveness and flowability of fresh green pea powders and pastes.
- Controlled moisture content to observe changes in particle behavior from powder to paste.
- Analyzed the influence of water adsorption capacity and particle softness on rheological properties.
Main Results:
- Increasing moisture content initially decreased flowability and increased cohesiveness up to approximately 73 wt%.
- Above 73 wt% moisture, cohesiveness decreased while flowability increased, indicating a transition to concentrated suspension flow.
- Water adsorption capacity and particle softness significantly influenced flowability and cohesiveness.
Conclusions:
- The ring shear tester is a viable tool for objectively measuring cohesiveness and flowability in particulated food systems.
- Moisture content is a key factor in controlling the transition from granular powder to cohesive paste.
- Results provide valuable insights for designing food products, especially for dysphagia management.
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