Image provided by Sarah K. Scholl, Shelly J. Schmidt Lab
Research funded by various donor funds
When crystals of glucose, a form of sugar used in many foods, absorb water, the way they refract light changes. Using polarized light microscopy, this change can be quantified, allowing scientists to study how and why glucose clumps or cakes during storage. Preventing the caking of glucose in a bag of sugar at home or silo of sugar in a factory could help ensure quality and prevent waste.