AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
Department of Food 
Science & Human Nutrition

Physical Properties of Foods

Content

1. Introduction. Course structure and objectives.
2. Applications of physical properties in food process. Examples
3. Density, Porosity and structural properties. Theory and specific examples (Lab. 1)
4. Thermal properties. Theory, methodology, applications (Lab. 2)
5. Rheological properties I. Theory, methodology, applications. Viscosity and viscoelasticity. Components’ selection upon their viscosity (Lab. 3)
6. Rheological properties II. Texture. Sensorial and fundamental definitions. Examples (Lab.4)
7. Acoustic properties. Theory, methodology, applications.
8. Optical properties. Theory, methodology, applications. (Lab.5)
9. Mass transfer properties. Theory, methodology and applications (Lab. 6)
10. Electrical properties. Theory, methodology, applications
11. Examples of food quality evaluation using combined physical properties data. Case studies (Lab.7)
12. Objective-Subjective measurements of physical characteristics. Sensorial vs. fundamental characteristics (Lab. 8)
13. Overview. Evaluation of P.P. use in several applications

The above lectures will be complemented with laboratory experiments on the following topics:
1. Density- porosity determination in several foods (dry foams, fruits)
2. Rheological properties of food. Temperature effects (chocolate, honey, starch)
3. Texture measurements (foamy structures, fruits, candies)
4. Colour and structural parameters’ measurements (bread, coloured candies)- Image analysis software
5. Diffusivity (mass transfer). Moisture transfer in dried baked rolls or water activity measurements
6. Quality evaluation upon physical properties characteristics (combined measurements)
7. Sensory evaluation of specific foods. Example: Oral texture vs. fundamental values

Learning results

The course material includes the:
Theory, methodology and use of physical properties of foods. The physical properties include
the: thermal, mass, structural, optical, rheological, electrical and acoustic ones.
The objectives of the course are to:
a) Acquire the fundamental knowledge of physical properties that is needed for the product design, testing and analysis of systems, processes, storage and handling of biological materials. Their application in formulation engineering and nanotechnology of foods is also an objective.
b) to master the use of experimental testing equipment with respect to physical properties and to correlate objective tests to subjective ones such as sensorial trials.

Bibliography

Books
• Lazou A. 2019. Physical Properties of Foods.
• Steffe J. 1996. Rheological Methods in Food Process Engineering Freeman Press www.egr.msu.edu/~steffe/ ISBN 0963203614, 9780963203618
• Rao M.A. Rheology of Fluid and Semisolid Foods: Principles and Applications Aspen Publishers ISBN 0-8342-1264-1
• ΜCKenna M., 2003, Texture in Food Volume I: Semi-solid foods, Texas, USA
• Kilcast D., Texture in Food, Volume II: Solid Foods, C.H.I.P.S., Texas, USA
• De-Wen Sun series editor 2012. Physical Properties of Foods - Novel Measurement Techniques and Applications Compemporary Food Engineering Series ISBN-10: 1439835365
• Moskowitz H.R. 1987. Food Texture: Instrumental and Sensory Measurement M. Dekker, New York
• Figura L. and Teixeira A. 2007. Food Physics. Springer ISBN 3540341943, 9783540341949 Rao, Rizvi and Datta 2010 (third ed.) Engineering Properties of Foods. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0824753283, 9780824753283
• Karel M. & Lund D. B. Physical Principles of Food Preservation
• Sahin S. & Sumnu S. G. 2006. Physical Properties of Foods. Springer
• Rahman S. 2010. (2nd edition) Food Properties Handbook Taylor & Francis 1420003097, 9781420003093

Journals
- Journal of Food Engineering
- Journal of Food Science. Special category: Food Engineering and Μaterial Science
- Journal of Texture Studies

NEWSLETTER

The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (renamed Department of Food Science and Technology, Decree 80/27/5/13, Government Gazette A119 28/5/13) offers its students the scientific background for a rational approach to scientific and technological issues related to the food sector.
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