Measurement of Change in Moisture Content during Drying Process Using the Dielectric Property of Foods

Abstract

A continuous and non-destructive method for measuring the moisture content of foods during the drying process is proposed. Changes in the dielectric property (capacitance), weight and temperature of samples of agar gel, vegetables and meats during the air-drying process were measured automatically. The results showed significant correlation between the capacitance of each sample and moisture content. This technique will enable us to control drying conditions automatically without sampling the material during the drying process.