Advances in food material nanomechanics by means of atomic force microscopy

Benjamin Arredondo-Tamayo, Stefany Cárdenas-Pérez, Juan V. Méndez-Méndez, Israel Arzate-Vázquez, Héctor H. Torres-Ventura, José J. Chanona-Pérez

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful nanoscale analysis tool, and its use and application have increased within the food sector in recent years. This versatile technique can be used to simultaneously acquire high-resolution images and local nanomechanical properties in either liquid or air media. This chapter aims to explain the operation of the atomic force microscope for evaluating nanomechanical properties in biological and food materials by means of nanoindentation and force spectroscopy. This chapter includes the general architecture of atomic force microscopes, main operation modes, a simplified description of the forces generated during the interaction between the tip and the sample surface, as well as the force curves obtained during nanoindentation. This chapter also highlights specific and optimized operation modes such as PeakForce Tapping, PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanics, and molecular stretching, along with brief comments on suppliers, sample preparation, fixation and probe selection, the main approaches of AFM in food science research, and some recent advances on nanomechanical properties of food materials. Finally, new knowledge revealed through the use of AFM is clarified, as well as ways of using AFM to obtain nanomechanical properties in different food materials such as plant and animal tissues, microorganisms, proteins and hard food structures, through an overview of Young’s module values compiled from different food materials. Therefore, this contribution could serve as a valuable and practical guide for applying nanomechanics approaches in food materials with AFM.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationFundamentals and Application of Atomic Force Microscopy for Food Research
PublisherElsevier
Pages263-306
Number of pages44
ISBN (Electronic)9780128239858
ISBN (Print)9780128241325
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2022

Keywords

  • Atomic force microscopy
  • food stiffness
  • nanoindentation
  • nanomechanical properties

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