Achieve Reliable Microstructural Imaging of Dairy Products with Tescan CLARA

Why Cryo Imaging Is Essential for Accurate Dairy Microstructural Analysis

Understanding dairy microstructure is critical for optimizing texture, flavor, and stability. Conventional methods are not suitable for imaging of highly hydrated samples, and changes in temperature influence their original structure.

Cryogenic Scanning Electron Microscopy methods (Cryo-SEM) overcome this challenge by freezing samples rapidly, to preserve their true structure, and enabling high-resolution imaging.

Key Benefits of Cryo-SEM for Dairy Analysis:

• Preserves structural fidelity: Rapid freezing maintains fat globules, protein networks, and casein micelles in their true arrangement.
• Ultra-high resolution imaging: Visualize micro- and nanoscale features with exceptional clarity.
• Sensitive analysis: Low-keV SE imaging enhances imaging sensitivity and protects delicate, hydrated structures.

Cryo-SEM imaging enables reliable, high-resolution imaging of frozen-hydrated dairy product samples, providing food scientists with the detailed structural insights needed to maintain quality and drive development of new products.

Cryogenic Surface Imaging with Tescan CLARA

Dairy samples, including curd cream and low-fat curd cream, were prepared using cryo-fixation and freeze-fracturing to preserve sample hydration and reveal the internal structure. Samples were transferred to the Tescan CLARA for low-keV imaging in cryogenic conditions.

Secondary electron detection captured high-contrast surface morphology across multiple scales. Imaging conditions were optimized for frozen-hydrated materials, revealing fat globules, protein networks, and casein micelles without dehydration artifacts.

High-Fidelity Cryo-SEM Imaging of Dairy Microstructures

Tescan CLARA with an integrated cryo stage provides stable cryogenic conditions for ultra-high resolution imaging of frozen-hydrated dairy samples. The workflow preserves delicate microstructures (including fat globules, protein matrices, and casein micelles). This ensures consistent visualization without dehydration of artifacts. Low-keV SE imaging increases surface sensitivity and contrast while minimizing beam interaction with delicate structures.

• Native Structure Preservation: The cryo stage maintains the hydrated state of dairy microstructures, preventing artefacts typically caused by chemical fixation or drying.

• Quantitative Insights: Cryo-SEM imaging reveals how the spatial distribution of fat and protein phases influences texture and stability across different formulations.

• High-Contrast Imaging: Low-voltage SE detection enhances surface contrast and fine detail resolution, supporting accurate interpretation of morphological features.

Cryo-SEM with Tescan CLARA delivers reliable insights that support formulation optimization, processing improvements, and product innovation.