Probe microscopy is a novel form of microscopy that has been developed over the last 20 years. Images are obtained by feeling the surface profile of samples deposited onto suitable substrates. Images are generated in much the same way as a blind person builds a picture through feeling materials and objects. As well as revealing the surface profile of the object the microscope, like a blind person, can augment the image through sensing other features of the object, such as charge, hardness or stickiness. At IFR we have pioneered the use of this type of microscopy in food science. The microscopes can image food structures at sub-molecular resolution. An advantage of this type of microscopy is the ability to image samples under liquid or gaseous environments with minimal sample preparation. This has allowed the methods to be used to solve previously intractable problems in food science. By studying how food molecules (fats, carbohydrates and proteins) interact, and the types of structures they form in foods, it has been possible to understand and enhance the quality of food products. The instruments at IFR are now dated, becoming obsolete and no longer suitable for routine use. We are requesting funding to update our research facilities with a modern state-of-the-art instrument that will allow IFR to extend the application of these methods in food science, provide an imaging service facility, and to develop new applications in food science, only achievable through the use of modern instruments.