Experimental and theoretical studies on drying of food materials

A mathematical model was developed to predict heat and moisture transfer, drying-induced stresses and the material shrinkage of viscoelastic food materials during drying. Potato starch was selected as the model food material and physical and material properties such as moisture diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and viscoelastic properties were measured as a function of temperature and moisture concentration. To verify the numerical model, results of the drying experiments were compared with the numerically obtained results and were found to be in good agreement with each other.