Making complexity visible: the picture-forming
Biocrystallisation Method
Results of controlled Milk Processing
Ing. Paul Doesburg1 and Machteld Huber, MD2
Crystal lab,The Netherlands
2)
Louis Bolk Institute,The Netherlands
1)
Introduction
Quality determination of food products is predominantly based on quantitative compound
analyses, which reduces biological systems to chemical and physical phenomena. This reduction
resulted in a vast body of knowledge about this level in food products.
Yeakley (1991) however, describes three (functionally integrated) organizational levels in living
organisms; the physical, the temporal and the spatial level. As food is derived from living
organisms, contemporary quality determinations of food products focusing mainly on the physical
level, should be extended with methods connecting to these other two levels, as these might
complement our perspective on food quality.
Results
Visual evaluation of the biocrystallisation pictures reveals a reduction of the organisational state
after the milk sample is subjected to homogenisation (Fig. 1. and 2.), indicative of a loss of spatial
organisation in the milk sample. Increasing the homogenisation pressure results in a further
reduction of the organisation in the biocrystallisation pictures. This treatment effect is supported
by textural image analysis showing a significant differentiation (p<0.01) between the
biocrystallisation pictures of the raw and either of the two homogenised samples. Visually,
homogenisation is reflected strongest in a decrease of the criterion 'Integration', which relates to
the spatial organization of the different form elements in the biocrystallisation picture. Higher
scores represent a hypothesized ‘better quality’ characteristic (Huber, 2010).
Objective
The objective of this poster is to present a method that complements the chemical compound
analyses and potentially offers a context for interpretation of the chemical level into the other
levels of a living organism.
Conclusions
The biocrystallisation method seems to reflect the spatial, as well as the temporal organisational
level, when the organism is followed during its development. Hereby the method challenges the
chemical definition of food quality. The biocrystallisation method could be a valuable tool in food
quality analysis, complimentary to chemical compound analyses, as it might offer a context for
interpretation of the chemical level into the other levels of a living organism
Methodology reflecting the temporal and spatial
organisational levels
With the picture-forming biocrystallisation method we introduce a method, complementary to
compound analysis, which we hypothesize to reflect the temporal and spatial organisational levels
in living organisms. The method is based on the crystallisation of an aqueous dihydrate Copper
Chloride (CuCl2.2H2O) solution in the presence of organic additives (juices/extracts) in a petri-dish,
thereby yielding additive-specific reproducible dendritic structures, which can be evaluated as
integrated images. The structures are evaluated visually by means of validated criteria (e.g.
Integration, Durchstrahlung and Length of sideneedles; Huber, 2010) and by means of
computerized image analysis (Andersen, 1999).
Regarding the temporal and spatial organisational levels, correlations have been found between
the biocrystallisation structures and growth and developmental processes (e.g. farming systems),
showing a consistency over a broad plant-product range (Bloksma, 2004; Kahl, 2009). In general
terms, a loss of spatial organisation in living organisms (e.g. due to ageing, processing) correlates
to a reduced organisation in the biocrystallisation pictures. Hypothetically, the degree of spatial
organisation is related to food quality, a higher degree thus representing better quality.
Literature
Andersen,J-O, Henriksen, C.B., Laursen, J., Nielsen, A.A. (1999). Computerized image analysis of biocrystallogram
originating from agricultural products. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 22: 51-69.
Bloksma, J., Northolt, M., Huber, M., Jansonius, P.-J., Zanen, M. (2004). Parameters for Apple Quality and the
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Nutrition, The Netherlands.
García-Risco, M., Ramos, M., López-Fandiño, R. (2002). Modifications in milk proteins induced by heat treatment and
homogenization and their influence on susceptibility to proteolysis. International Dairy Journal 12: 679–688.
Huber, M., Andersen, J-O., Kahl, J., Busscher, N., Doesburg, P., Mergardt, G., Kretschmer, S., Zalecka, A., Meelursarn, A.,
Ploeger, A., Nierop, D., v.d. Vijver, L., Baars, E. (2010) Standardization and Validation of the Visual Evaluation of
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Yeakley, J., Cale, W. (1991). Organizational Levels Analysis: A Key to Understanding Processes in Natural Systems. J. Theor.
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Integr.
Coor.
9
7
Homogenisation of raw whole milk
The sensitivity of the biocrystallisation method towards changes in the spatial level of organisation
is illustrated in the processing of raw whole milk. Raw whole milk was homogenised at two
intensity levels (50 and 200 Bar) after which the treated and untreated samples were compared
by biocrystallisation. Homogenisation has been shown to rearrange the milk fat-globules,
introducing a reduction of the mean globular size. Novel globules are stabilized by the adsorption
of casein micelles (García-Risco, 2002), implying mainly a redistribution of the spatial organization
of milk proteins in reaction to homogenisation. Thus, according to the contemporary (chemical)
formulation of food quality, homogenisation of milk has little or no effect on food quality.
5
3
Durchstr.
1
Fulln.
Mean score
Raw
Hom. 50Bar
Hom. 200Bar
Abs. Flechtw.
Abs. Quern.
Length sidn.
FIGURE 1. Graphical presentation of the criteria and the mean score used in the Visual Evaluation of the biocrystallisations
derived from three milk samples. Criteria are connected to an ordinal scale of 1 to 9. Higher scores represent a
hypothesized ‘better quality’ characteristic (Huber, 2010). Abbreviations indicate: Absence of Flechtwerke; Absence of
Quernadeln; length of sideneedles; Fullness with sideneedles; Durchstrahlung; Centre coordination and Integration.
FIGURE 2. Representative biocrystallisation pictures and enlargements derrived from the raw milk sample (left), the 50 Bar homogenised milk sample (middle) and the 200 Bar homogenised milk sample (right).