Abstract: Effects of glass transition on the viscosity, diffusivity and reaction rate were discussed briefly. Then its respective effects on physical, chemical and biological stability of food were reviewed extensively. Viscosity increased when temperature decreased in the vicinity of glass transition temperature (Tg), but diffusivity coefficient of small molecular materials did not decrease further. Although food might lose their stability when glass transition took place, but glass transition alone could not be considered as the only generic rules established for food stability criteria. The food would not necessarily lose stability at Tg even if there did occur the glass transition. Physical stability can be predicted with confidence based on glass transition, while chemical and biological stability can hardly be predicted just according to glass transition.

Key words: glass transition, food stability, WLF equation