POLY 27 |
| Peter J. Lillford, Biology, Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5YW, United Kingdom |
| The food industry processes more polymers than anyone else. Ours are synthesised by living organism rather than by chemists and, as a result, are complex mixtures of heteropolymers. Whole trades are defined by their skill in using the specific properties of their raw material. The baker's is with gluten and starch;the butcher's with actomyosin,collagen and elastin;the cheesemaker's with casein,and the confectioner's with starch,egg white and gelatin. The approaches of polymer science to food processing has now begun and allows more systematic treatment of food quality and production. We will show the similarities between puff pastries and "blown" plastics;the structural similarities of a sausage and filled elastomers;How water plasticises a brittle potato chip;and how the texture of candies relies on polymer stabilised foams. |
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The Polymer Science of Everyday Things
8:30 AM-12:30 PM, Sunday, March 23, 2003 Hilton Riverside -- Grand Salon B9/B12, Oral
Division of Polymer Chemistry |