Acoustic microscopy in the food industry

Abstract

Acoustic microscopy has been used for many years to image and measure the elastic properties of materials across a wide range of scientific disciplines. However the application of this technique in the food industry is scarce. In this paper we outline the operation of a reflection-mode acoustic microscope and discuss some of the issues relevant to its operation in the food sector. We then present two relevant case studies in which we employ acoustic microscopy to analyse potato cells and the fat structure in Iberian ham and chorizo.