Researches on the physical state of
anhydrous food materials
Christophe BLECKER
Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech
University of Liège
University of Liège
Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech
Food Technology
Department
Human forces
• Academics
- Dr Ir Christophe BLECKER - Dr Ir Sabine DANTHINE
• Research staff (50-60 people) - Research associates
- Postdoctoral fellows
- MSc. And Ph.D. graduate students - Technicians
Food Is Life
Soon …
• Cracking • Use of soft technologies • Co-products Extraction • Functionalization of ingredients • Physical and enzymatical modifications Transformations • Formulation engineering • Studies of interactions between ingredients • Development of models • Full characterization
(physical and sensorial properties)
End Products
Field of activities
More specifically
• “Cracking” of biological raw materials • Physical state of food materials
• Techno-functionality of ingredients
• Physicochemical properties of food products • Dairy science
Analytical techniques
• Interfacial properties
- Adsorption kinetics, monolayers, interfacial rheology, …
Langmuir film Spinning drop
Bubble pressure
- Emulsions, foams, …
Turbiscan
• Rheology, texture analysis, particule/globule sizer, zeta potential, …
Master sizer
Texturometer Rheometer
• Thermal properties
MDSC TA2920 MDSC Q1000
• Oils & fats
P NMR
Mettler (CP-DP-…)
XRD with controlled temperature
Today’s topic
• “Cracking” of biological raw materials • Physical state of food materials
- Anhydrous products - Soft condensed matter
• Techno-functionality of ingredients
• Physicochemical properties of food products • Dairy science
Physical state of anhydrous food materials
• Determination of physical changes of inulin powders • Physicochemical characterization of fat blends
Determination of physical changes of
inulin powders
• Physical stability of inulin powder during storage • Impact of spray-drying conditions on physical state
• Development of properties (functionalization) by physical process
Inulin
• A Belgian story ?
• Mixture of polysaccharides constituted of fructose unit chain of various length • Nutritional interests (soluble dietary fiber,
prebiotic, …)
• Technofunctional ingredient (fat substitute, bulk agent, water retention, …)
Physicochemical characterization of fat
• Phase diagrams
• Characterization and discrimination of industrial fats • Influence of composition on melting and polymorphic
behavior
Isothermal crystallization of cocoa butter
Time
a b’ b
Polymorphism Thermal properties
« Extraction, transformation, valorization and utilization of lipids (& by or co-products) »
Fundamental understanding of lipid crystallization (phase behavior diagrams…) Fundamental understanding of lipid networks building
Elucidation of lipid structures for diversified physical functionalities
Development and/or improvement of soft modification processes (physical/enzymatic) directed towards modulation of lipids functionality
Studies of extraction and refining practices (with valorization of co-products ). Preservative strategies (oxidation)
Fat modifications Crystallization Extraction Refining B3 Lin (Counts) 01020304050607080901 001 101 201 301 401 501 601 701 801 902 002 102 202 302 402 502 602 702 802 903 003 103 203 303 403 503 603 703 803 904 004 104 20 2-Theta - S cal e 1 51 61 71 81 92 02 1222 32 42 5262 7 d=5,39909 d=4,57394 d=4,50085 d=3,85366d=3,73653d=3,69273d=3,65550
Conclusion
• Analytical tools from biophysics + pilot scale processing => Better fundamental knowledge on food material + applied results for industrial partners
• We are open to collaboration
• Contact : christophe.blecker@ulg.ac.be
