Publisher Summary
This chapter discusses the branches of physics that are relevant to texture, mainly rheology and physical properties of materials. Rheology is the study of the deformation and flow of matter. Its principles can be applied to any kind of material ranging from mobile fluids, to plastics, from to foods and beverages. . There is a large number of practicing rheologists, and it is not surprising to find that the field of rheology is well developed and thriving. Most of the rheological concepts and instruments were developed for nonfood products and the food rheologist; while borrowing freely from conventional rheological theory and some of the properties of both solids and liquids, and measuring and specifying their properties is sometimes difficult. Rheology is divided into two parts: deformation usually applies to materials that are predominantly solid-like in nature and flow usually applies to materials that are predominantly fluid-like in nature. The most important elements in both deformation and flow are the fundamental quantities of distance, time, and mass.