Recent advances in atomic force microscopy for assessing the nanomechanical properties of food materials

Background: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to study the molecular structure of biological materials. AFM has become a novel tool that allows measurement of nanomechanical properties of food materials. The importance of evaluating these properties in foods is that the biological functions are closely linked with physical phenomena that occur on the cell surfaces. Scope and approach: The AFM is a technique that has already been used in the food research community as an efficient tool to evaluate cell mechanics occurring in food materials and it is possible to study the physical phenomena that occur in the cells and tissues of food during its processing and storage. This article presents an overview of the main issues that may arise during the evaluation of mechanical properties by AFM. It may be used as a guideline in order to apply these techniques for foods. A summary of the most recent studies in the nanomechanical properties of food is included. Key findings and conclusions: AFM has been used to evaluate how nanomechanical phenomena on cell surfaces influence in the quality of food materials, as well as to evaluate the changes that occur at the nanometric scale in food materials due to its processing and storage. The methods to analyze nanomechanical properties in foods are not yet standardized since this is still a rarely used technique for foods. The development and application of techniques for measuring the nanomechanical properties in food materials is necessary. AFM and nanoindentation will be useful tools for the development of food nanotechnology.