MICROSTRUCTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING
Foods have a structure imparted either by nature or through processing. The relevance
of structure in engineering is that practically all properties of foods are structure
sensitive. Thus, the microstructural engineer understands food technology as a controlled
effort to preserve, transform, destroy, or create structure (Figure 30.1).1
Preserving structure is a major objective in postharvest technology of fruits and vegetables, as changes in structure lead to detrimental changes in texture, flavor, and
even nutritional properties. The same objective is pursued by food scientists interested
in preserving the quality of meats after slaughter, fish and crustaceans after
capture, and cereals and legumes after harvest. Similarly, the shelf life of processed
foods is largely determined by undesirable changes in the engineered structure
imparted through processing.