Microstructure of food matrix determines the physical, textural and sensory properties of end products. For predicting moisture transport and viscoelastic stresses during sorption and drying of wheat grains it is crucial to determine the  precise internal structure of wheat. Lack of 3-dimensional morphology of the internal features of wheat kernel at the micro-nano scale is a constraint to understand the structure-function relationship, and the coupling between the heat and the mass-transfer processes during drying, cooking and processing. Micro X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT) is a powerful tool for non-invasive high resolution 3-D visualisation and characterization of the internal micro-structure of cellular food products.

The goals of this study are:(i) to accurately investigate the 3-dimensional spatial distribution of the internal microstructure of insect and sprout damaged wheat kernels using X-ray micro CT images, and (ii) to determine the morphometric parameters such as porosity, anisotropy (3D symmetry) and absolute permeability of the matrix structures inside the insect and sprout damaged wheat kernels.