EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ON MOISTURE MIGRATION DURING MICROWAVE HEATING

Abstract

The effect of temperature gradient on moisture migration during microwave heating of food materials was analyzed in this study. The analysis was performed using the finite element model developed and validated previously (Zhou et al., 1994b). Potato and bread were used as test materials. For high density food material (potato), temperature gradient effect on moisture migration was found to be negligible (less than 5%). For low density and porous food material (bread), percentage contribution of moisture movement due to temperature gradient was high (114%). However, the absolute difference of moisture content with and without considering temperature gradient effect was small for the microwave process studied, i.e., one-minute of microwave heating followed by three-minute of holding time period.