Chapter 2

Rheological Properties of Foods

SUMMARY

In this chapter, rheological properties of foods are discussed, concentrating on the

principles of ow behavior and deformation of food systems. The principles of
viscosity and texture measurement methods and the devices used in these methods
are explained in detail. In addition, models used to understand the rheology of food
materials are discussed. Rheological properties are dened as mechanical
properties that result in deformation and the ow of material in the presence of a
stress. The viscosity is constant and independent of shear rate in
Newtonianuids.Iftheuidisnon-
Newtonian,itsviscositymayincreaseordecreasewithincreasing shear rate. For shear
thinning uids viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate while for shear
thickening uids viscosity increases with increasing shear rate. A yield stress is
required for plastic uidstoow.Fortime-
dependentuids,viscositychangeswithrespecttotime.Capillaryow,orice type, falling
ball, and rotational viscometers are the most commonly used viscometers to
measure viscosity of materials. Foods showing both elastic and viscous components
are known as viscoelastic foods. Viscoelastic materials can be determined by stress
relaxation test, creep test, and dynamic test.
TheMaxwellmodelisusedtointerpretstressrelaxationofviscoelasticliquids.IntheMaxwel
lmodel, the spring and the dashpot are connected in series. The Kelvin-Voigt model
is used to describe creep behavior that contains a spring and a dashpot connected
in parallel. A series combination of Kelvin and Maxwell model is known as the Burger
model. The texture prole of food materials including properties such as hardness,
gumminess, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, fracturability, springiness, and chewiness
can be determined by using a texture analyzer. Dough rheology can be studied by
using a farinograph, mixograph, extensograph, and alveograph.

2.1 INTRODUCTION TO RHEOLOGY

Rheologyisthesciencethatstudiesthedeformationofmaterialsincludingow.Rheologica
ldataare
requiredinproductqualityevaluation,engineeringcalculations,andprocessdesign.Anun
derstanding
ofowbehaviorisnecessarytodeterminethesizeofthepumpandpipeandtheenergyrequir
ements. The rheological models obtained from the experimental measurements can
be useful in design of food engineering processes if used together with momentum,
energy, and mass balances. Effects of