The main goal of this project is to control the product quality by choosing a combination of raw material and process adoptions. The microstructure of the pasta shall be designed in order to create desired quality properties and the mass transport shall be controlled at different heating profiles. Finally, a composite material shall be designed that meets defined quality properties. Hydration of biomaterials is directly related to processes of water and heat transportation, changes in phase behaviour and relative volume of the complex composite systems. In the case of food material the composite often consists of a protein matrix and dispersed starch filler, which undergo phase transitions and significant volume changes (swelling). In addition, the system will not be in an equilibrium state after hydration, but will continue to experience changes in the phase behaviour and observed textural properties. However, how these changes of macroscopic properties are related to the microscopic structural and dynamical properties on a different length-scale not been extensively investigated and therefore is only poorly understood.
Contact: maud dot langton at sik dot se