Atomic force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an imaging technique in which the surface of a sample is scanned with an ultra-fine probe, resolving detail down to the nanoscale by sensing forces between the probe tip and the surface. Food scientists use AFM to study emulsion droplets, protein networks, starch granules, fat crystal structures, and bacterial adhesion on equipment surfaces. This nanoscale view helps explain texture, stability, and fouling behaviour that bulk measurements cannot reveal, such as how proteins arrange at oil-water interfaces or how biofilms anchor to stainless steel. Though a research tool rather than a routine QC instrument, AFM increasingly informs the design of stable formulations and hygienic equipment surfaces.