Rheological analysis of edible oils

In the food industry, rheology plays a significant role both in product quality evaluation (as it relates to food texture) and material processing (such as unit operation design, pressure drop evaluation, etc.). Therefore, the rheological analysis of foods is a fundamental step in the physical characterization of these systems. In this chapter, a brief introduction to rheology will be provided, highlighting the most relevant aspects that can be explored further in more specialized texts. The rheological properties of edible oils will then be described, with a focus on the effects of different sources and processing. Interfacial rheological properties and their determination in oily systems will be also discussed. Finally, the rheological properties of edible oil-based systems will be briefly introduced, emphasizing novel and interesting applications of edible oils.