Food Technology · Theory & Articles
Food Technology
Theory articles, notes and reference material for food science and technology students and professionals — written alongside the FoodTech Calc tools.
What Are Carbohydrates?
Definition and chemical nature of carbohydrates, classification by degree of polymerisation (mono → di → oligo → polysaccharides), classification by functional group (aldose vs ketose), classification by carbon count (triose through heptose), biological roles in plants and animals, and ABO blood group markers. Includes embedded SVG chemical structures and the full classification flowchart.
Food Chemistry
Carbohydrates — Part 2
Starch gelatinisation, retrogradation, modified starches, dietary fibre analysis (Englyst), osazones and carbohydrate-based fat substitutes.
Proteins & Amino Acids
Amino acid classification, peptide bonds, protein structure (primary → quaternary), denaturation, Maillard reaction and functional properties in food.
Lipids & Fats
Fatty acid structure, triglycerides, phospholipids, emulsification, oxidation and rancidity — iodine value, saponification value and peroxide value.
Water Activity & Sorption
Water activity (aw), moisture sorption isotherms, BET monolayer, effect on microbial growth, enzyme activity and chemical reactions.
Heat Transfer
Modes of Heat Transfer
Conduction, convection and radiation in food systems. Thermal conductivity, heat transfer coefficient and overall U-value.
LMTD & Heat Exchangers
Log mean temperature difference, parallel vs counter flow, PHE and tubular heat exchangers in dairy and food processing.
Reaction Kinetics
Zero & First Order Reactions
Rate equations, half-life, D-value and integrated rate laws for food quality and microbial inactivation reactions.
Arrhenius Equation
Temperature dependence of reaction rates, activation energy, Q₁₀ and z-value. Applications in shelf-life and thermal process design.