Neutrons and Food 8 at MLZ

Soft matter systems, such as colloids and emulsions, are central to food architecture. Their structural response to mechanical forces - like those during mixing or pumping - dictates final texture and stability. In this study, we investigate the interplay between shear flow and microstructure in a stable, surfactant-free glycerol-in-silicone oil emulsion.To overcome the limitations of light-based techniques in opaque fluids, we pioneer the use of $in$ $situ$ neutron dark-field imaging (DFI) using a novel single hexagonal grating. This technique captures spatially resolved maps of anisotropic small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) signals over large sample areas in a single shot, avoiding the need for time-consuming scanning.Our results reveal significant droplet elongation and the formation of reversible bands with alternating droplet density within a Couette cell. By combining this high-resolution structural mapping with simultaneous macroscopic rheology, we demonstrate a powerful multimodal probe for concentrated, opaque systems. This methodology allows for the characterization of complex ingredients from the nanometer to the micron range, leveraging neutron contrast matching to isolate specific components under realistic processing conditions.