A simplified drying kinetics model of food materials

A simplified model was proposed to describe the drying kinetics of wet solids. The model was validated on the basis of measurements of drying kinetics parameters of raw and blanched carrot cubes and raw potato cubes dried by convection with hot air (50-90 degrees C). The model values matched the exptl. data well for all drying time intervals. The proposed model was simpler and easier to use than theoretical or other multi-parametric empirical models and can be used to calculate the total drying time and to det. changes in the moisture content and drying rate of solid food materials.