Food Structure and Function Research Group

Cryo-SEM [JEOL JSM-7100F equipped with the cryogenic transfer system Quorum PP3000T (grant number FWO Hercules AUGE-09-029)]

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provides a topographic view of the surface of a sample by irradiating the surface with a fine electron beam. The SEM is equipped with a cryo-stage for sample preparation which allows to fracture a sample and sublime the free water, thus exposing the internal microstructure of high moisture products. Structures in the range of 100 nm up to several µm can be visualized.

Contact: Davy Van de Walle - Davy.Vandewalle@ugent.be

X-ray scattering (XRS) provides information on the structural characteristics of both ordered and disordered structures in the nano- and mesoscale about sizes and shapes of proteins, fats, food matrices, nanomaterials, fibers, plastics, etc. The X-ray has WAXS, SAXS, GiSAXS and USAXS capabilities. It is provided with several sample holders allowing the analysis of a wide range of materials in solid or liquid state, as well as viscous materials or films. The analysis can be performed at temperatures from -20°C to 150°C.

Contact: Fien De Witte - Fien.Dewitte@ugent.be

Differential scanning calorimetry measures phase behavior in foods like melting and crystallization, glass transitions and protein denaturation.

The time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) allows us to determine Solid Fat Content (SFC) in fats, oils and margarines.

The texture analyser is designed to quantify textural properties of foods under extension or compression and measures forces up to 500 N and is equipped with a range of probes to perform different types of texture analysis like puncture tests, compression tests, 3-point bend tests, texture profile analysis (TPA), etc.

The light microscope can be used in normal light transmission mode, phase contrast mode or in polarization mode and is equipped with a Linkam stage for temperature control.

The research group has three temperature-controlled rheometers equipped with several geometries like concentric cylinders, plate-plate, cone-plate and starch pasting cell. A tribocel is used for tribological measurements.

Head Space – Solid Phase Microextraction – Gas chromatography – Mass Spectroscopy (HS-SPME-GC-MS) allows the profiling of the volatile components released in the head space above a sample in a vial and adsorbed on a fibre. Separation of the volatiles is done by GC, while identification is done by Kovats retention indices and MS. Semi-quantification of the aroma profile is possible with usage of internal standard(s).

Electronic nose is dedicated to the fingerprinting of aroma compounds and chemical molecules composing the smell of a product. The technology relies on gas chromatography and FID technology to profile compounds from the headspace. The compounds are separated in two 10 m GC columns with different polarity. The samples typically analyzed are in liquid or solid state, as well as viscous materials.