Water in Foods
On this planet water is the only substance that occurs abundantly in all three physical states.
It is the common liquid and is the most widely distribute pure solid, being over present somewhere in the atmosphere as suspended ice particles or on the earth’s surface as various types of snow and ice.
It is essential to life: as an important governor of body temperature, as a solvent, as a carrier of nutrients and waste products, as a reactant and reaction medium, as a lubricant and plasticizer, as a stabilizer of biopolymer conformation, as a likely facilitator of the dynamic behavior of macromolecules, including their catalytic (enzymatic) properties, and in other ways yet unknown.
It is truly remarkable that organic life should depend so heavily in this small inorganic molecule, and perhaps even more remarkable, that so few scientists are aware of this fact.
Water is the major component of many foods, each having its own characteristics allotment of this components.
Water in the major component amount, location and orientation profoundly influences the structure appearance and taste of foods and their susceptibility to spoilage.
Because most kinds of fresh foods contain large amounts of water effective forms of preservation are needed if long term storage is desired.
Removed of water either by conventional dehydration or by separation locally in the form of pure ice crystals, greatly alters the native properties of foods and biological matter.
Furthermore, all attempts (rehydration, thawing) to return water to its original status are never more than partially successful.
Water in Foods
On this planet water is the only substance that occurs abundantly in all three physical states.
It is the common liquid and is the most widely distribute pure solid, being over present somewhere in the atmosphere as suspended ice particles or on the earth’s surface as various types of snow and ice.
It is essential to life: as an important governor of body temperature, as a solvent, as a carrier of nutrients and waste products, as a reactant and reaction medium, as a lubricant and plasticizer, as a stabilizer of biopolymer conformation, as a likely facilitator of the dynamic behavior of macromolecules, including their catalytic (enzymatic) properties, and in other ways yet unknown.
It is truly remarkable that organic life should depend so heavily in this small inorganic molecule, and perhaps even more remarkable, that so few scientists are aware of this fact.
Water is the major component of many foods, each having its own characteristics allotment of this components.
Water in the major component amount, location and orientation profoundly influences the structure appearance and taste of foods and their susceptibility to spoilage.
Because most kinds of fresh foods contain large amounts of water effective forms of preservation are needed if long term storage is desired.
Removed of water either by conventional dehydration or by separation locally in the form of pure ice crystals, greatly alters the native properties of foods and biological matter.
Furthermore, all attempts (rehydration, thawing) to return water to its original status are never more than partially successful.
Water in Foods
