Influence of State of Mixing of the Sample on Total Absorbed Energy in Microwave Cooking

Abstract

The effects of the state of mixing on total absorbed energy (P) in microwave cooking were investigated. When water and oil were heated independently, both of P were almost equal and the effect of the dielectric loss factor (ε″) on P was negligible. P of a two-layer sample was almost equal to that of the water component alone and was affected by ε″. P of an emulsion sample was almost constant and equal to that of water alone whose volume was the same as the volume of the sample. The difference between P of a two-layer sample and that of an emulsion sample was thought to be affected by the increase in the water-oil interface area, and it was found that P of the water-oil mixture is influenced by the state of mixing.