A method for estimating the equilibrium moisture content of spaghetti at any temperature by using the change in moisture content during non-isothermal cooking

Abstract

A novel method is proposed to estimate the equilibrium moisture content X_e at a specific temperature using the change over time in moisture content during cooking of spaghetti at different rates of temperature increase. In this method, the moisture content X_vT→0 at infinitely slow heating is the equilibrium moisture content Xe at that temperature, based on the relationship between the average rate of temperature increase vT in reaching a certain temperature and the moisture content X. X_e estimated by the proposed method was almost consistent with the equilibrium moisture content estimated from the change in moisture content over time at a constant temperature, and the validity of the proposed method was verified.