Food related research covers a wide range of topics and activities. These include the increase in food production, the development of more efficient manufacturing processes, the desire to improve taste and feelings of satiety, the extension of shelf life, the increase in food safety, access, and supply, the improvement of health aspects, and the exploration of new food sources, to name a few. A more recent trend in food research is the design of customized foods and drugs that can provide specific nutrients or medication to an individual.
Fluids are ubiquitous throughout all stages of food production, processing, consumption, and digestion. During these stages, the fluid foods generally exhibit complex rheology and often occur in multiple phases. Examples include foams, such as ice-cream, coffee cream, and whipped topping, emulsions, such as milk and mayonnaise, suspensions, such as chocolate, as well as gels, bread dough, and surfactant solutions. The flows encountered...