Physics and Physical Chemistry of Foods

We study how the physical structure of foods determines their taste, texture, stability and overall quality. As the global demand for tasty, healthy and sustainably produced foods continues to grow, we need new ways to design ingredients and food products that use resources efficiently while still meeting consumer expectations. Many of the key challenges in food production – from ingredient availability to processing, shelf-life and sensory properties – are closely linked. This means we cannot look at each challenge in isolation. Instead, we use a systems approach grounded in physics to understand how different factors interact.

A central theme in our research is the mesoscale: the intermediate length scale between individual molecules and the final food product. Structures at this scale, typically a few nanometres to a few millimetres, strongly influence macroscopic properties such as texture, flow, stability and appearance. By understanding how water, proteins, polysaccharides, fats, oils and other components organise themselves at the mesoscale, we can better control food behaviour and develop innovative materials.

Researchers of the Food Physics Group publish on a regular basis in scientific journals, professional journals, scientific and popular books, and proceedings.