Department of Food Science & Technology, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Biotechnology and Food Engineering Program, Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China.
Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2020 Sep;19(5):2357-2379. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12605. Epub 2020 Jul 22.
We review recent applications of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to characterize microstructural and textural properties of food materials. Based on interaction between probe and sample, AFM can image in three dimensions with nanoscale resolution especially in the vertical orientation. When the scanning probe is used as an indenter, mechanical features such as stiffness and elasticity can be analyzed. The linkage between structure and texture can thus be elucidated, providing the basis for many further future applications of AFM. Microstructure of simple systems such as polysaccharides, proteins, or lipids separately, as characterized by AFM, is discussed. Interaction of component mixtures gives rise to novel properties in complex food systems due to development of structure. AFM has been used to explore the morphological characteristics of such complexes and to investigate the effect of such characteristics on properties. Based on insights from such investigations, development of food products and manufacturing can be facilitated. Mechanical analysis is often carried out to evaluate the suitability of natural or artificial materials in food formulations. The textural properties of cellular tissues, food colloids, and biodegradable films can all be explored at nanometer scale, leading to the potential to connect texture to this fine structural level. More profound understanding of natural food materials will enable new classes of fabricated food products to be developed.
我们回顾了原子力显微镜（AFM）在食品材料微观结构和质地特性表征中的最新应用。基于探针与样品之间的相互作用，AFM 可以在纳米尺度上进行三维成像，尤其是在垂直方向上。当扫描探针用作压痕时，可以分析机械特性，如硬度和弹性。因此，可以阐明结构与质地之间的联系，为 AFM 的许多进一步应用提供基础。我们讨论了多糖、蛋白质或脂质等简单系统的微观结构，这些结构分别由 AFM 来表征。由于结构的发展，成分混合物的相互作用在复杂食品系统中产生了新的特性。AFM 已被用于探索此类复合物的形态特征，并研究这些特征对性能的影响。基于这些研究的见解，可以促进食品产品和制造的开发。机械分析通常用于评估天然或人工材料在食品配方中的适用性。细胞组织、食品胶体和可生物降解薄膜的质地特性都可以在纳米尺度上进行探索，从而有可能将质地与精细结构水平联系起来。对天然食品材料的更深入了解将使新型的人造食品产品得以开发。
