Dielectric Properties of Mashed Potatoes Relevant to Microwave and Radio-frequency Pasteurization and Sterilization Processes

ABSTRACT: Dielectric properties of mashed potatoes relevant to microwave and radio-frequency (RF) pasteurization and sterilization processes were measured over 1 to 1800 MHz and 20 °C to 120 °C. Effects of moisture content (81.6% to 87.8%, wb) and salt content (0.8% to 2.8%, wb) were investigated. Dielectric loss factors and constants decreased with frequency. Dielectric loss factors increased with temperature and salt content, but dielectric constants were not significantly affected. Ionic conductivity played a dominant role at low frequencies. Power penetration depth increased with moisture content and decreased with temperature, frequency, and salt content. Regression equations were developed to relate the dielectric properties to temperature, moisture, and salt contents.     

Dielectric Properties of Commercial Cooking Oils

SUMMARY— The finished drying of potato chips represents the first large-scale use of microwaves in the food industry on a continuous basis. Hence it was deemed desirable to study the dielectric properties of various types of commercial cooking oils.
The dielectric constant (ɛ), and loss tangent (tans) of 11 commercial fats and oils have been determined at three different temperatures and at three different frequencies in the microwave range. The differences in dielectric properties among these fats and oils appear to be attributable to the phase (solid vs. liquid) of the material and generally correspond to the degree of unsaturation as evidenced by iodine values. The differences in loss factors among these fats and oils at any given temperature and frequency (within the range at which the measurements were made) are too small to be of any practical importance in selecting any one of them for use in heating processes using microwaves or in choosing an optimal frequency (300, 1000 or 3000 megahertz, MHz).
Data for one of the oils (number 9) were obtained over a wider range of frequencies and indicate that the loss factor peak(s) is/are found in the frequency range of 100 to 1000 MHz. Furthermore, from the data obtained for the other oils, it should be safe to assume that this oil is representative of dielectric properties of the entire group. The dielectric properties of bacon fat rendered by microwaves are almost identical to those of bacon fat rendered by conventional means.     

PREDICTION OF DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES IN OIL-WATER AND ALCOHOL-WATER MIXTURES AT 3,000 MHz, 25°C BASED ON PURE COMPONENT PROPERTIES

Measurements of oil-water emulsions show that dielectric properties are predicted at 3,000 MHz, 25°C by the noninteractive Fricke model for complex conductivity of colloidal suspensions. Similar measurements for methanol-water and ethanol-water show that dielectric properties are predicted at 3,000 MHz, 25°C by an empirical combination, designated as the interactive Fricke model, of the noninteractive Fricke model and the Debye models for pure polar liquids with single relaxation times. A tentative physical-chemical basis for prediction of dielectric properties in liquid food systems is suggested, which involves concepts of relative dielectric activities of major chemical constituents, extent of solvation and colloidal content and is based on mechanisms of dielectric behavior observed in aqueous mixtures at microwave frequencies.     

Microbial Safety in Radio-frequency Processing of Packaged Foods

ABSTRACT: Thermal resistance of Clostridium sporogenes (PA 3679) was determined at 115.6 °C, 118.3 °C, and 121.1 °C (240 °F, 245 °F, and 250 °F, respectively) in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and mashed potatoes (pH 6.3) using aluminum thermal-death-time (TDT) tubes developed at Washington State Univ. D-values were 1.8, 1.1, and 0.62 min in phosphate buffer and 2.2, 1.1, and 0.61 min in mashed potatoes at 115.6 °C, 118.3 °C, and 121.1 °C, respectively. Z-values were 12 °C and 10 °C in phosphate buffer and mashed potatoes, respectively. The thermal inactivation kinetic results were then used to validate a novel thermal process based on 27.12 MHz radio frequency (RF) energy. Trays of mashed potatoes inoculated with PA 3679 were subjected to 3 processing levels: target process (F₀∼4.3), under-target process (F₀∼2.4), and over-target process (F₀∼7.3). The microbial challenge test data showed that microbial destruction from the RF process agreed with the calculated sterilization values. This study suggests that thermal processes based on RF energy can produce safe and shelf-stable packaged foods.     

Storage effects on dielectric properties of eggs from 10 to 1800 MHz

ABSTRACT:  The dielectric constant and loss factor of egg albumen and egg yolk over the frequency range from 10 to 1800 MHz were measured at 24 °C at weekly intervals during 5-wk storage at 15 °C. Moisture and ash contents of albumen and yolk, as well as Haugh unit and yolk index, were also measured. The dielectric constant and loss factor of albumen were higher than those of yolk. Linear relationships were evident between the log of frequency, below about 1000 MHz, and the log of loss factor of albumen as well as that of yolk. The dielectric constants of albumen and yolk at 10 MHz were lower than those of fresh albumen and yolk when eggs were stored at 15 °C for 1 wk. However, after 2 wk in storage these dielectric constants rose and remained at higher levels for the rest of the 5-wk period. At frequencies of 100 MHz and higher, the dielectric constant was essentially constant during the entire storage period. Storage had much less influence on the loss factor of either albumen or yolk. In general, the moisture content and ash content of albumen and yolk decreased slightly as eggs aged. The moisture content of yolk increased somewhat with storage, and there was a corresponding decrease in albumen moisture content. The freshness qualities, Haugh unit and yolk index, also decreased as eggs aged. No obvious correlation between dielectric properties and moisture content, ash content, Haugh unit, or yolk index was observed.     

Temperature-Dependent Dielectric Properties of Raw Cow’s and Goat’s Milk from 10 to 4,500 MHz Relevant to Radio-frequency and Microwave Pasteurization Process

To offer useful information for milk pasteurization with radio-frequency or microwave heating, the dielectric properties (dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor) of raw cow’s milk and goat’s milk were determined over the frequency range of 10–4,500 MHz and temperature range of 25–75 °C by a vector network analyzer and an open-ended coaxial-line probe. The mathematical models describing the relationship between permittivities and temperature were built, and the power penetration depth was investigated. The results showed that both for cow’s milk and goat’s milk, the dielectric constants decreased with an increase of frequency, and the dielectric loss factor decreased with increasing frequency below 1,000 MHz and increased after that. The dielectric constants decreased with increasing temperature at a given frequency. For raw cow’s milk, the dielectric loss factor almost increased with temperature below about 800 MHz, and decreased with temperature above that. For raw goat’s milk, the loss factor decreased with temperature in whole investigated frequency range. Quadratic equations could be used to describe the relationship between permittivities and temperature at interested frequencies with coefficient of determination higher than 0.96. The penetration depth decreased with increasing frequency. Contrasted to frequency, temperature had less effect on penetration depth. Microwave heating at 915 MHz has great potential for raw cow’s milk pasteurization, while radio-frequency heating at 27.12 and 40.68 MHz and microwave heating at 915 MHz can be used for goat’s milk pasteurization.     

MICROWAVE FINISH DRYING OF POTATO CHIPS

The effect of microwave finish drying of potato chips on their texture, color and oil content was studied. The intermediate moisture content (IMC) of the chips before microwave application and the reducing sugar content of the raw potatoes were the primary variables. The slices were individually submerged in oil at 320° F to various IMC and finish dried with 2500 watts microwave power for 1–3 min. Chip color was rated against PC11 Color Standards. Texture was evaluated subjectively by a panel and objectively by the L.E.E. Kramer Shear Press. Oil determination was made by Soxhlet extraction. The results showed that potato chips removed from the oil at IMC above 13% were unacceptably tough after microwave drying. Potatoes containing more than 0.9% reducing sugar had to be removed from the oil at IMC above 13% in order to obtain acceptable color of the microwave-finished product. Therefore, microwave finishing raises the limiting reducing sugar content from about 0.4 to about 0.9%. Oil content of microwave-finished chips was 90% that of conventional controls     

Dielectric analysis of hen egg white with denaturation and in cool storage

Dielectric relaxation spectra (DRS) of fresh hen raw egg white solutions and thermally denatured gels were measured at frequencies between 1 MHz and 3 GHz by using the coaxial line reflection method with a network analyser and an open-ended coaxial probe. The values of the dielectric constant ε of the denatured gels were higher than those of the raw solutions at frequencies lower than 100 MHz and then became close to each other with the increase in the frequency. No significant change in effective conductivity σ was found on denaturation, implying that this process does not affect the binding of water. The gels were stored at 5°C for 13 days to be subjected to a dehydration process that led to a corresponding decrease in dielectric constant and conductivity. When the dielectric data had been measured, the molecular motions and water status in the egg whites were analysed.     

Effect of Microwave Frying on Acrylamide Generation,Mass Transfer,Color, and Texture in French Fries

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of microwave power on acrylamide generation, as well as moisture and oil fluxes and quality attributes of microwave-fried potatoes. Concretely, 25 g of potato strips, in 250 mL of fresh oil (at room temperature), were subjected to three different microwave powers (315, 430, and 600 W) in a conventional microwave oven. Microwave frying resulted in an acrylamide reduction ranged from 37 to 83% compared to deep-oil frying. Microwave-fried French fries presented lower moisture and higher fat content than deep-oil fried potatoes. Concretely, microwave-fried potatoes presented values of moisture and texture more similar to potato chips than French fries, nonetheless with lower fat levels (less than 20 g/100 g wb) and acrylamide content (lower than 100 μg/kg wb) at the reference time. This study presents an alternative way of frying to address the production of healthier potato chips.     

Effect of Cooking Method (Baking Compared with Frying) on Acrylamide Level of Potato Chips

ABSTRACT:  The effect of cooking method (baking compared with frying) on acrylamide level of potato chips was investigated in this study. Baking and frying experiments were conducted at 170, 180, and 190 °C using potato slices with a thickness of 1.4 mm. Raw potatoes were analyzed for reducing sugars and asparagine. Surface and internal temperatures of potato slices were monitored during the experiments to better explain the results. Fried and baked chips were analyzed for acrylamide content using an LC-MS method. The results showed that acrylamide level of potato chips prepared by frying increased with frying temperature (19.6 ng/g at 170 °C, 39 ng/g at 180 °C, and 95 ng/g at 190 °C). In baking, however, the highest acrylamide level was observed in potato chips prepared at 170 °C (47.8 ng/g at 170 °C, 19.3 ng/g at 180 °C, and 29.7 ng/g at 190 °C). The results showed that baking at 170 °C more than doubled the acrylamide amount that formed upon frying at the same temperature, whereas at 180 and 190 °C, the acrylamide levels of chips prepared by baking were lower than their fried counterparts.     

Effect of Temperature (−5 to 130 °C) and Fiber Direction on the Dielectric Properties of Beef Semitendinosus at Radio Frequency and Microwave Frequencies

ABSTRACT:  The dielectric properties must be defined to design efficient radio frequency (RF) and microwave (MW) processes by the food manufacturers. The objective of this study was to understand how frequency, temperature, and muscle fiber orientation influence the dielectric properties. The eye of round ( Semitendinosus ) muscle was selected because it contains large, relatively uniform muscle cells with similar muscle fiber orientation and relatively uniform chemical composition throughout the tissue. Dielectric properties were measured using an open-ended coaxial probe technique at 27, 915, and 1800 MHz and temperatures between −5 and 130 °C. Power penetration depth was calculated. Since many commercially prepared, thermally processed, ready-to-eat entrees are made with frozen meat, dielectric property measurements were started from −5 °C. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss factors were often higher for muscle with the muscle fiber measured in a parallel orientation to the probe compared to samples of the same treatment (for example, fresh or frozen) in a perpendicular tissue orientation at the same frequency and temperature. Dielectric constant and loss values for frozen beef tended to be higher than fresh beef at the same temperature and frequency. Tissue orientation appeared to have a greater effect on dielectric loss values at lower frequencies. Penetration depth tended to be greater when the direction of propagation was perpendicular to the muscle fiber.     

Dielectric properties of chestnut flour relevant to drying with radio-frequency and microwave energy

Dielectric properties of compressed chestnut flour samples with 11.6–48.0% w.b. moisture content were determined with a network analyzer and an open-ended coaxial-line probe over a frequency range from 10 to 4500 MHz and a temperature range from 20 to 60 °C. The results showed that the permittivities of chestnut flour were a function of frequency, moisture content and temperature. Both dielectric constant and loss factor decreased with increasing frequency but increased with increasing moisture content and temperature. The relationship between permittivities and moisture content and temperature at 27, 40, 915 and 2450 MHz could be described by second- or third-degree polynomial models, with the coefficients of determination higher than 0.993. The analysis of variance showed that moisture content and temperature had strong significant effects on permittivity values. The penetration depth decreased with increasing frequency, moisture content and temperature. Large penetration depth at radio frequencies below 100 MHz may provide practical large-scale dielectric drying of chestnut.     

Modeling the Dielectric Properties of Ham as a Function of Temperature and Composition

ABSTRACT The dielectric properties of 19 different ham samples with different moisture (38.2% to 68.9%) and ash contents (1.78% to 6.80%) were measured at −35 to 70 °C at 2450MHz. Equations were developed as a function of temperature, moisture, and ash, and compared to literature equations. The dielectric constant decreased with ash content and increased with moisture content. It increased instead of decreasing with temperature. The dielectric loss factor increased with moisture content for moisture contents lower than 60.7%, then decreased for higher moisture contents. Ash content and temperature increased dielectric loss factor. Frozen samples had low dielectric activity that was increased by ash content above −20 to −10 °C.     

Reduction of Acrylamide Formation in Potato Chips by Low-temperature Vacuum Frying

ABSTRACT: Potatoes and other foods that have a high content of the amino acid asparagine and a high accumulation of reducing sugars are subject to the formation of acrylamide upon frying. The objectives of this research were (1) to analyze the level of acrylamide formed during deep-fat frying of potato chips and (2) to evaluate means of reducing acrylamide in potato chips by using different potato cultivars and vacuum frying. Several potato cultivars were used in this research, including Innovator (I), NDTX 4930–5W (N), ATX 854 04–8W (ATw), Atlantic (A), Shepody (S), ATX847806–2Ru (ATr), and White-Rose (W). An electric bench-top (atmospheric conditions)-type fryer was used to fry the potatoes. Three temperatures were used: 150 °C, 165 °C, and 180 °C. The vacuum frying experiments were performed at 118 °C, 125 °C, and 140 °C and a vacuum pressure of 10 Torr. The potatoes were sliced (1.5-mm thick) and fried for different lengths of times. For potatoes fried at 165 °C (for 4 min) at atmospheric conditions, the acrylamide contents were 5021 ± 55 ppb (W), 552 ± 25 ppb (I), 358 ± 50 ppb (N), 397 ± 25 ppb (ATw), 646 ± 55 ppb (A), 466 ± 15 ppb(S), and 537 ± 14 ppb (ATr). Vacuum frying reduced acrylamide formation by 94%. Results showed that both cultivar and modified frying systems can play an important role in reducing acrylamide formation in fried potatoes. As the frying temperature decreased from 180 °C to 165 °C, acrylamide content in potato chips reduced by 51% during traditional frying and by 63% as the temperature decreased from 140 °C to 125 °C in vacuum frying. Increased frying time increased acrylamide formation during traditional frying for all temperatures and frying methods analyzed. However, the effect on acrylamide concentration was greater for the traditional frying than the vacuum frying. Keywords: acrylamide, vacuum, frying, potato, temperature     

Dielectric properties of ground almond shells in the development of radio frequency and microwave pasteurization

To develop pasteurization treatments based on radio frequency (RF) or microwave energy, dielectric properties of almond shells were determined using an open-ended coaxial-probe with an impedance analyzer over a frequency range of 10–1800 MHz. Both the dielectric constant and loss factor of almond shells decreased with increasing frequency, but increased with increasing temperature and moisture content. The absolute value of the slopes of log–log plots between loss factor and frequency increased with increasing temperature at low frequencies, especially at high temperatures and moisture contents. The effective electrical conductivity of shell samples was close to zero at the lowest moisture content (6% w.b.) and 3–9 times larger at 90 °C than 20 °C for the highest moisture content (36% w.b.). A good linear relationship was observed between permittivity and density at 1800 MHz. The power penetration depths at RF range (27 and 40 MHz) were about 6–24 times as deep as those for microwave frequencies (915 and 1800 MHz) at each corresponding temperature and moisture content. It is likely that RF energy may provide uniform heating and high throughput treatments for controlling Salmonella in in-shell almonds after washing.     

EVALUATION OF THE TEXTURE OF FRIED POTATOES

Texture of potatoes with different shapes (slices and strips) were evaluated after frying and in some cases after baking. Blanched and unblanched potato slices (Bintje variety) were fried at four oil temperatures: 160, 170, 180 and 190C until reaching a moisture content of ∼1.7%. A puncture test with three point support for the slices was applied to measure the texture of potato chips using the following parameters extracted from the force versus distance curves: maximum force of break (MFB) and deformation of break (DB). These two parameters were useful to follow the changes in texture of the fried slices with moisture content at different frying temperatures. Blanched and unblanched potato strips were partially fried at 160C and 190C for 60, 90 and 120 s. The par-fried potatoes were frozen at -20C for one day after which they were baked at 200C for 15 min. The texture of the baked potato strips was evaluated using a bending test with two support points. From the force versus distance curves, two parameters were extracted: maximum force of deformation (MFD) and maximum deformation (MD). Significant higher MFB and lower DB values (P > 0.1) for unblanched fried slices indicate that these are crispier than blanched chips for moisture contents lower than 4% (6.59 N and 0.62 mm vs 5.74 N and vs 0.75 mm for unblanched and blanched chips, respectively, average values for the four frying temperatures employed). There was no effect of the frying temperature and the pretreatment (blanching or unblanching) on the texture of the frozen par-fried potatoes after baking when compared at the same residual moisture content, but blanched potato strips lost moisture more slowly both in frying and in baking.     

Electrical conductivity and physical properties of surimi-potato starch under ohmic heating

ABSTRACT:  Electrical conductivities of Alaska pollock surimi mixed with native and pregelled potato starch at different concentrations (0%, 3%, and 9%) were measured at different moisture contents (75% and 81%) using a multifrequency ohmic heating system. Surimi-starch paste was tested up to 80 °C at frequencies from 55 Hz to 20 KHz and at alternating currents of 4.3 and 15.5 V/cm voltage gradient. Electrical conductivity increased when moisture content, applied frequency, and applied voltage increased, but decreased when starch concentration increased. Electrical conductivity was correlated linearly with temperature ( R ²≈ 0.99). Electrical conductivity pattern (magnitude) changed when temperature increased, which was clearly seen after 55 °C in the native potato starch system, especially at high concentration. This confirms that starch gelatinization that occurred during heating affects the electrical conductivity. Whiteness and texture properties decreased with an increase of starch concentration and a decrease of moisture content.     

Temperature and moisture dependent dielectric properties of legume flour associated with dielectric heating

Dielectric properties data are important in developing thermal treatments using radio frequency (RF) and microwave (MW) energy and are essential in estimating heating uniformity in electromagnetic fields. Dielectric properties of flour samples from four legumes (chickpea, green pea, lentil, and soybean) at four different moisture contents were measured with an open-ended coaxial probe and impedance analyzer at frequencies of 10-1800 MHz and temperatures of 20-90 °C. The dielectric constant and loss factor of the legume samples decreased with increasing frequency but increased with increasing temperature and moisture content. At low frequencies and high temperatures and moisture contents, negative linear correlations were observed between the loss factor and frequency on a log-log plot, which was mainly caused by the ionic conductance. At 1800 MHz, the dielectric properties data could be used to estimate the legume sample density judging from high linear correlations. Loss factors for the four legume samples were similar at 27 MHz, 20 °C and low moisture contents (e.g. <15 g/100 g). At the highest moisture content (e.g. 20 g/100 g) soybean had the highest loss factor at 27 MHz and 20 °C, followed by lentil, green pea, and chickpea. The difference in loss factor among the four legumes did not show clear patterns at 915 MHz. Deep penetration depths at 27 MHz could help in developing large-scale industrial RF treatments for postharvest insect control or other applications that require bulk heating in legumes with acceptable heating uniformity and throughputs.     

Dielectric Properties of Sweet Potato Purees at 915 MHz as Affected by Temperature and Chemical Composition∗

A process for rapid sterilization and aseptic packaging of sweet potato puree using a continuous flow microwave system operating at 915 MHz has been successfully developed. In microwave processing, dielectric properties have a major role in determining the interaction between purees and the electromagnetic energy. The objective of this research was to determine how dielectric properties are affected by temperature and chemical composition of purees derived from thirteen sweet potato cultivars with varying flesh colors. Results indicated that temperature, moisture, sugar and starch content had a pronounced effect (p < 0.001) on dielectric properties measured from 15°C to 145°C at 915 MHz. Dielectric constant decreased with increasing temperature, while dielectric loss factor increased quadratically. Power penetration depth of all cultivars decreased with increasing temperature. Predictive equations were developed for dielectric constant (R²?=?0.82) and dielectric loss factor (R²?=?0.90) as a function of temperature, moisture, sugar, and starch. The predictive equations would be useful in determining the dielectric properties of sweet potato purees for the microwave processing technology.     

Biological Properties of VHF- and Microwave-Heated Soybeans

Whole soybeans at natural moisture levels were heated by varied exposures to dielectric heating at frequencies of 42 and 2450 MHz. The minimum energy absorbed (MEA) was calculated from temperature-elevation and moisture-loss data. Because the heating rates were different at the two frequencies, plots of various biochemical properties against temperature or exposure time revealed an apparent frequency dependence. This dependence on frequency disappeared, however, when the MEA value was substituted as the independent variable. Chemical and biochemical analyses revealed that dielectric heating at natural moisture levels should be as efficient as commonly practiced moist “toasting” in improving the nutritional value of soybeans. Trypsin inhibitor activity was reduced to a low level, indicating that maximum nutritional quality had been reached. Protein solubility and dispersibility, but not urease activity, can be used as indicators of trypsin inhibitor inactivation by dielectric heating. Indications were obtained that MEA values, or perhaps even moisture loss, might be used as an index of trypsin inhibitor inactivation. Lipoxygenase-inactivated samples of improved flavor were produced by the dielectric heating treatments. Some treated samples with low trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase activities still retained relatively high peroxidase activities that may be advantageous for bleaching effects.