Numerical modelling of morphological changes of food plant materials during drying

Abstract

Food plant materials, particularly fruits and vegetables, when undergoing drying are subjected to higher levels of morphological changes, leading to alteration of various physical properties characterizing the dried food product. The main factors driving such morphological changes are the moisture content, drying temperature, atmospheric conditions, rate of moisture removal, and properties of the food plant variety. Prediction of such morphological changes is critical for improving the product quality and processing efficiency in food engineering. In that context, different modeling techniques are being researched, each having its own pros and cons depending on the fundamental nature of the technique and its level of advancement achieved, targeting a given application. Among these modeling techniques, numerical modeling has gained considerable attention since the recent past, and which holds true for the present too. In this background, this chapter initially presents an overview of the different modeling techniques used in the field, and then it specifically presents a novel numerical modeling technique available its key applications, limitations, and future prospects.