| Abstract |
"Understand how water activity can determine food quality with this exhaustive guide This second edition of Water Activity in Foods furnishes those working within food manufacturing, quality control, and safety with a newly revised guide to water activity and its role in the preservation and processing of food items. With clear, instructional prose and illustrations, the book's international team of contributors break down the essential principles of water activity and water--food interactions, delineating water's crucial impact upon attributes such as flavor, appearance, texture, and shelf life. The updated and expanded second edition continues to offer an authoritative overview of the subject, while also broadening its scope to include six newly written chapters covering the latest developments in water activity research. Exploring topics ranging from deliquescence to crispness, these insightful new inclusions complement existing content that has been refreshed and reconfigured to support the food industry of today. This essential text: Helps to build a full understanding of water activity as it relates to the production of food Spans both the theoretical and practical dimensions of water activity Features six new chapters detailing current progress in water activity research Includes frequent illustrations to clearly demonstrate water activity process Food science students, engineers, and industry professionals alike will find Water Activity in Foods a practical and informative work that makes understanding this core aspect of food manufacturing an engaging and accessible process. Water activity (or aw) is a measure of the extent to which water is "available" to interact with other, non-aqueous materials. The concept of water activity is crucial in food science. William James Scott showed in 1953 that microorganisms have a limiting aw level for growth. It is now generally accepted that aw is more closely related to the microbial, chemical, and physical properties of foods and other natural products than is total moisture content. Specific changes in color, aroma, flavor, texture, stability, and acceptability of raw and processed food products have been associated with relatively narrow aw ranges. Next to temperature, aw is considered one of the most important parameters in food preservation and processing. It has a pivotal effect upon the physical and chemical stability of foods"-- Provided by publisher. |
