Effect of hysteresis phenomena of cellular plant-based food materials on convection drying kinetics

Abstract

Water removal rate during drying depends on the microstructural pathways of water migration from inside the food materials. The water removal rate also depends on the mechanical properties of plant tissue. There is no literature that shows the interrelationship between viscoelastic property and transport phenomena during drying. In this study, the influence of viscoelastic property of plant-based food material on transport phenomena during drying has been experimentally investigated. Granny Smith apple, pears, and beet root has been taken as the sample in this study. A 2 kN Instron universal testing machine and ImageJ software were used in order to measure and analyze the viscoelasticity of the samples. Three different fruits Granny Smith apple, pears, and beet root show different viscoelastic properties along with different energy loss due to hysteresis. A positive relationship was found between energy loss due to viscoelastic nature of materials and drying kinetics. This correlation can be explained by the nature of the cell wall stiffness that facilitates or hinders the water migration in mechanical and thermal energy applications.