88C-10 |
An Internet web based software for the determination of thermal properties of food material |
A. SARKAR, F. Erdogdu, and R. P. Singh. Dept. of Biological & Agricultural Engineering, Univ. of California, Davis, 1308 Bainer Hall, Davis, CA 95616 For most food engineering applications, knowledge of thermal properties is an essential criteria. One common approach is to determine these properties from empirical relationships for a given food composition at a given temperature. In industrial practice, engineers require a quick estimate of property values when elaborate experiments are no feasible. Availability of software to calculate food properties on the Internet will be of considerable value. The objective of this research was to develop a web based software for the determination of thermal properties at various temperatures for various compositions using existing empirical relationships. Empirical relationships found in the literature were used to determine food properties in a temperature range of –40 C to 150 C. Relative composition of food constituents like carbohydrate, protein, fat, fiber, ash and water and the temperature range for the property predictions were left to the users discretion. All calculations were made using a computer program written in Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 and the program was converted into an Active-X based HTML format compatible to Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher, using TegoWeb Express V. 6.7.19. Predictions of the developed program were compared to literature for different food products and found to be very similar. The results are detailed in datasheet and graphical format and can be accessed online at the users discretion. A user-friendly interface makes the program a useful tool in the world of food engineering as a quick reference for properties. It will prove a handy tool for practicing engineers and for general educational purposes. It can also be applied beyond food engineering for thermal properties of all biological material.
Session 88C, Food Engineering: Physical and Chemical Properties
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