Speaker
Ms
Randi Phinney
(Lund University)
Description
Quantitative neutron imaging was used to investigate internal mass transport processes and drying uniformity during "Solar Assisted Pervaporation" (SAP) - a novel process for drying fruit pulps using vapour permeable, liquid water impermeable bags and solar energy. Internal mass transport was visualised and quantified by injecting D2O into a bag of apple purée and monitoring its redistribution over time. The process was found to be diffusion-driven, most likely attributed to the viscous nature of the purée. Juice and purée were found to dry differently inside vertical bags, even though both were distributed homogeneously in the beginning. With the purée bag, local moist spots were observed posing a food safety risk. This first investigation of the compatibility of neutron imaging with SAP has shown that radiography and spatiotemportal tomography are promising techniques for quantifying convective and diffusive transport rates, local drying rates and drying heterogeneity. Future experiments will enable the validation of a multiphysics model of the process, and increase the understanding of the internal mass transport and the food safety risks associated with non-uniform drying.
| Topic Area / Session | General Food Science |
|---|
Primary author
Ms
Randi Phinney
(Lund University)
Co-authors
Dr
Ingegerd Sjöholm
(Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition, Box 124, Lund University, Lund, SE-221 00, Sweden)
Prof.
Marilyn Rayner
(Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition, Box 124, Lund University, Lund, SE-221 00, Sweden)
Mr
Peter Vontobel
(Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), 5234 Villigen, Switzerland)
Prof.
Petr Dejmek
(Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition, Box 124, Lund University, Lund, SE-221 00, Sweden)
Dr
Thijs Defraeye
(Laboratory for Building Science and Technology, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA), Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland)
