Processing of fluid food data for the experimental determination of viscosity

Abstract

Viscosity is a key property in multiple process engineering tasks that range from the design and selection of process equipment through to the use of viscosity as a quality index. This paper presents flow curves and data treatment methods applicable to viscosity calculations for non-Newtonian liquid materials and empirical rheological models. Fluid foods, materials of complex structure and composition, were analyzed according to their response to shear stress or shear rate. This work summarizes the instrument, device and test conditions used during such analyses, and the calculation method used to derive the flow curve and viscosity for each test. These examples can assist reproducibility trials and data interpretation for tests conducted with rheometers using conventional geometries.