Advances in “wet” electron microscopy techniques and their application to the study of food structure

Recent advances in Scanning Electron Microscopy allow fully hydrated samples to be examined in their native state. These techniques (called variously Environmental SEM, Variable Pressure SEM (VP-SEM) or, to a lesser extent, Low Vacuum SEM depending on instrument manufacturer) allow the examination of wet samples and samples with high vapor pressure and as such are finding enthusiastic application in the area of food structure studies. This paper reviews the uses of VP-SEM in the study of food structure and highlights the advantages and limitations of the technique in both static and dynamic studies.