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Application of Atomic Force Microscopy as a Nanotechnology Tool in Food Science
Author(s) -
Yang Hongshun,
Wang Yifen,
Lai Shaojuan,
An Hongjie,
Li Yunfei,
Chen Fusheng
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00346.x
Subject(s) - atomic force microscopy , nanotechnology , chemistry , materials science
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides a method for detecting nanoscale structural information. First, this review explains the fundamentals of AFM, including principle, manipulation, and analysis. Applications of AFM are then reported in food science and technology research, including qualitative macromolecule and polymer imaging, complicated or quantitative structure analysis, molecular interaction, molecular manipulation, surface topography, and nanofood characterization. The results suggested that AFM could bring insightful knowledge on food properties, and the AFM analysis could be used to illustrate some mechanisms of property changes during processing and storage. However, the current difficulty in applying AFM to food research is lacking appropriate methodology for different food systems. Better understanding of AFM technology and developing corresponding methodology for complicated food systems would lead to a more in‐depth understanding of food properties at macromolecular levels and enlarge their applications. The AFM results could greatly improve the food processing and storage technologies.