Prediction of pasta drying process based on a thermogravimetric analysis

The drying process of durum wheat semolina dough was measured by thermogravimetry in the temperature and relative humidity ranges of 30–90 °C and 0–80%, respectively, in order to predict the drying process of pasta under any drying conditions. About 20% of the water was evaporated during the constant drying-rate period which has been ignored in previous studies. It is demonstrated that the constant drying-rate period should be taken into account in order to predict the drying curve with a high accuracy. The drying rate during the constant drying-rate period and the mass transfer coefficient estimated by the thermogravimetric analysis were expressed as functions of the temperature and relative humidity, and they were useful for predicting the drying processes of pasta under any drying conditions including the programmed ones.