Food Chemistry Series: Water

Water is the most important diluent of food solids. Water in foods has several effects on physical properties, food behaviour in processing, microbial growth, stability, palatability, and phase transitions. The importance of water in foods is due to its presence in almost all foods, the dominance of water as a food component, and the physical properties and peculiarities of water in comparison with other food components. This course focuses on the chemical and physical properties of major food component water. This course presents the fundamental principles of physical chemistry and its relationship to food component water. It begins with basic chemistry concepts, building a foundation of knowledge on water so learners can then grasp the physical chemistry of water and how it controls various parameters of food such as: food processing, food packaging, food quality, food spoilage, and glass transition temperature.

In this lecture we are going to cover the following topics:

a. Introduction to water in Foods: Types of Water, Phase Diagram

b. The Glass Transition

c. Water Activity and Reaction Rate, Water Activity and Food Spoilage, Water Activity and Packaging, Water Activity and Food Processing

d. Few Multiple Choice Questions which may be asked in the exam

Picture Credit: 

Pictures: Foods That Are Good Sources of Water. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-hydrate-food?ecd=soc_fb_170331_cons_ss_hydratefood&linkId=100000000255644