Different methods of equilibrium moisture content determination

Abstract

In this paper, a faster and easier way, in comparison with classical methods, to determine the equilibrium moisture content in food materials is shown. The equilibrium moisture content is determined only experimentally, with determination of sorption isotherms. However, the key issue that is a condition for application of certain experimental method for determining of sorption isotherms is the reliability of experimental data obtained for equilibrium moisture content, as well as the time required to determine specific sorption isotherm. Despite numerous advantages of the static gravimetric method, the long time to achieve equilibrium moisture content of the sample is its main drawback and reason why the researchers use other techniques and methods. Out of these reasons came the idea to apply relatively fast and simple method to determine equilibrium moisture content in food materials, based on the values of average material temperature change obtained from experiments including convective drying kinetics. Furthermore, the resulting temperature response from the conducted experiments can be successfully used to determine unknown parameters in the models for calculation of equilibrium moisture content, by applying of inverse approach method that is an essential tool in modeling of heat and mass transfer processes for different food materials.

Keywords

• equilibrium moisture content
• inverse method
• pear
• quince