Abstract
The L number, a dimensionless number that describes the ratio of the moisture permeance of a food substance to that of a coating material, was used to predict the effectiveness of available edible coating materials to prevent moisture migration from or into coated foods. A computer model was developed using the finite difference method to simulate moisture migration through coated food materials. the results indicated that when the L number is smaller than 0.04, the main resistance to moisture transfer for a coated food material is the diffusion of moisture within the food material itself. On the other hand, if the L number is larger than 4, the main resistance to moisture transfer is the permeance of the coating material. the application of this approach to predict the effectiveness of different coating materials for various dried foods is presented.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 45-62 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Journal of Food Processing and Preservation |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 1991 |