Kinetics of Water Uptake by Food Powders

Abstract

ABSTRACT The water uptake by several food materials that included animal and vegetable proteins and starch materials was studied. The amount q of water taken up by a sample powder during time t was described by the equation q = Qt/(B + t), where Q is the total water uptake of equilibrium and B is the time required to sorb Q/2. The rate of water uptake was proportional to the square of the amount of water that must still be absorbed to reach equilibrium. A specific rate constant for the process was calculated as (BQ) −1 .