Physical States of Water

Vapor Liquid: interaction with food components

Hydrogen bonding Covalent bonding Salt linkages Van der waal interactions

Ice

Crystallization of Water
Nucleation: formation of crystalline nuclei
Low temperature and fast rate are important for the size and number

Crystal growth
Small with low temperature Large at high temperatures

Recrystallization
Problems with freeze-thaw cycles (e.g., frozen foods)

Problems of Crystal Growth

Large crystals are more stable than small ones Small crystals melt and water used for growth of large crystals Tissues can rupture with crystal growth
Physical changes Enzyme activation Chemical destruction Decompartmentalization

Storage is important

Freezing Property Changes

Changes in pH (due to salt precipitation) Increase in ionic strength Increase in viscosity Increase in osmotic pressure Decrease in vapor pressure Decrease in freezing point Increase in surface potential Change in oxidation-reduction potential

Changes in pH Upon Freezing

(e.g., phosphate buffer)

Monobasic: MH2PO4 (acidic)
When M = Na+, this form precipitates first and the pH increases

Dibasic: M2HPO4 (basic)

When M = K+, this form precipitates first and the pH decreases
Changes in pH, brought about by freezing can affect biochemical and chemical reactions, and microbial growth

Water Activity (aw)

The amount of water available (unbound) for chemical and biochemical reactions, and for microbial growth to occur. Knowledge of water activity allows us to make predictions about food quality. Processing
freezing, dehydration, concentration, salting, sugaring)

Water Activity
Determines direction of moisture transfer Most reaction rates increase with increasing water activity Most rates correlate better with water activity than moisture content Moisture sorption isotherms are useful

Water Activity (aw) Definition

For an ideal solution: n1 p ERH aw = = = n1 + n2 p0 100 n1 = moles of solvent (water) n2 = moles of solute p = vapor pressure of solution p0 = vapor pressure of solvent ERH = equilibrium relative humidity

Water Activity of Selected Foods

Food Product aw

Moisture Sorption Isotherm

Type I: tightly bound H2O (monolayer) Type II: hard to remove H2O (Hbonding) Type III: loosely bound H2O (available)

Moisture content

aw

Instruments to Measure Water Activity

Experimental Determination of aw

Hysteresis

Hysteresis: loss of H20 binding sites

Effect of Temperature on the Sorption Isotherm

Moisture Equilibration Between Components

(Water Migration)

Consider products with more than one component Oreo cookie, Twinkies, Pizza with the works

Factors Influencing Water Activity

Solute interactions Capillary suction forces Surface force interactions

Control of aw in Foods
Understand moisture sorption isotherms Equilibrate with atmosphere of lower or higher equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) Formulation approaches
Add solute(s) (e.g., humectants) Anticaking agents (e.g., calcium silicate) Remove or add water

Packaging approaches
Select to minimize water permeation Resealable packages

Handling instructions
Change temperature

Solutes and Humectants

Sodium chloride Sugars (e.g., sucrose, glucose, fructose) Sorbitol Glycerol Propylene glycol

Halophilic- likes a salty environment Xerophilic- likes a dry environment Osmophilic- likes high osmotic pressure