Physical–chemical Properties of Foods: New Tools f or Prediction

Physical-chemical properties of foods are decisive to understand microbial, biochemical and organoleptic properties of foods. A thermodynamic approach is developed in order to predict these properties from the formulation of foods. The purpose of this book is to provide a theoretical tool to predict physical-chemical properties of foods and biological media. From the formulation of foods or biological media, the tool permits the prediction of physical-chemical properties (pH, aw, ionic strength, and shortly Eh) from the description of physical and chemical interactions by using molecular thermodynamics and quantum mechanics. This tool can be included in food and biological process optimization software in order to design new foods and/or new processes.