ABSTRACT
Solid foods are multicomponent and multiphase bodies, whose properties and structure are dependent on their biological nature, used raw materials, and applied processing. Because of biochemical activity and mechanical, thermal, and concentration stresses during processing, solid foods are not in thermodynamic equilibrium with their surroundings and undergo relaxation during storage. The thermodynamic state of water in solid foods is characterized by activity of the component (Chapter 3), and that state also changes to reach equilibrium with the surrounding environment. Water activity of selected solid foods is shown in Table 4.1.
