Experimental study of rehydration kinetics of potato cylinders

The rehydration characteristics of potato cylinders were examined. Samples were pre-dried in a convective oven (60 degrees C) or in a microwave oven (250, 440 or 600 W), and subsequently rehydrated in a water bath at temperatures between 20 and 80 degrees C. Fick's Second Law of Diffusion was used to describe the rehydration kinetics. The process was characterized by two effective diffusion coefficients (D-1, D2), or two stages. The effect of temperature on D was interpreted using the Arrhenius relationship. The rehydration kinetics were dependent on temperature, solid-to-liquid ratio, sample dimensions (diameter and diameter-to-length ratio), pre-blanching, drying method (convective or microwave) and pre-soaking (ionic surfactants and NaCl). Agitation and non-ionic surfactants did not effect the rehydration process. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Institution of Chemical Engineers.