A Review on the Relationships between Processing, Food Structure, and Rheological Properties of Plant-Tissue-Based...

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Rheology
• Material Science

Background:

• Growing interest in controlling functional properties of processed fruit and vegetable products.
• Rheology is a critical functional property throughout food production, consumption, and digestion.
• Understanding process-structure-function relationships is vital for food product development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature of the past decade on process-structure-rheology relations in plant-tissue-based food suspensions.
• To highlight the impact of unit operations and their sequence on the structure of these suspensions.
• To discuss the effect of processing steps on the rheological properties of plant-tissue-based products.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on the past 10 years.
• Analysis of studies examining plant-tissue-based food suspensions.
• Synthesis of findings on how processing affects structure and rheology.

Main Results:

• Processing unit operations significantly alter the structure of plant-tissue-based food suspensions.
• Particle concentration, size, and morphology are key determinants of rheological properties.
• Processing-induced structural changes directly impact the rheological parameters of these food products.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between processing, structure, and rheology in plant-based foods is complex.
• Knowledge of these relationships can guide the design of improved food processes and products.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate these intricate connections for novel food development.