Food powders: Surface and form characterization revisited

The amount of interesting methods that allow surface characterisation of food powders, both those recently used and in development, are growing. Until now, a major problem facing researchers and manufacturers was the lack of a central source of information to provide practical knowledge focused only on food powder surfaces and form. The first goal of this review is to present recent and innovating methodologies used to characterize the surface and form of various food powders. In addition, relationships between food powders surfaces (surface energy, composition, structure, etc.) as well as form and functional properties (wettability, caking, flowability, etc.) are highlighted.

► The development of new methodologies to understand food powder behavior regarding some functional properties is strongly required.
► We presented some recent and innovating methodologies used to characterize the surface and form of various food powders.
► We highlighted some relationships between food powders surfaces as well as form and functional properties.