Confocal microscopy: principles and applications to food microstructures

This chapter describes the principles and applications of confocalmicroscopy to food research. The advantages of the technique are that realfood products can be studied directly and the microstructures of their constituents and their interactions characterised. A brief review of the literature highlights the growing use of confocalmicroscopy in a wide variety of food applications across allfood sectors. Practicaldetails of labelling techniques for different types of food are illustrated with examples. Dynamic microscopy techniques for visualising structure formation and deformation are presented and new instrumentation and measurement methodologies are also discussed.