Viscoelasticity

Property of a material—for example, a foodstuff—that describes how in some circumstances the food behaves like an elastic or plastic solid and under others like a liquid that can flow. Gels made with water and complex carbohydrates (hydrogels) are a good examples of how this works. Complex mixtures of fats, water, and air can also exhibit viscoelasticity—for example, margarine, baked cakes, ice cream, vegetables, fruits, and some cheeses.