A comprehensive and accessible guide to the food development applications of cutting-edge materials science In Materials Science and Engineering in Food Product Development, distinguished researcher Wing-Fu Lai delivers an authoritative exploration of the roles played by materials science and engineering in food product development. In the book, the authors employ a practical, industrial perspective to illustrate how food products, especially functional foods, can benefit from the incorporation of materials science technologies. The book includes helpful glossary sections in each chapter, as well as important notes to highlight information useful to food manufacturers engaged in the real-world development and manufacture of foods. This book is appropriate for both early and advanced researchers interested in the design, improvement, and engineering of food products using the most current advances in food materials science. Readers will also find: * A thorough overview of the most critical advances in food materials science * Comprehensive explorations of a materials science approach to food product design and discussions of techniques for the characterization of food materials and products * Practical discussions of the design and use of hydrogels, polymers, and lipid-based systems for food component encapsulation * Comprehensive treatments of the optimization of pasting and textural properties of food products by rheological manipulation Perfect for students, researchers, and scholars in the fields of nutritional science, materials engineering, food science, food engineering, and nanotechnology, Materials Science and Engineering in Food Product Development will also benefit food manufacturing professionals during food product development.