Diffusive Model with Variable Effective Diffusivity Considering Shrinkage for Hot-Air Drying of Lightly Salted Grass Carp Fillets

Abstract

A diffusion model has been developed for predicting the change of moisture content in lightly salted grass carp fillets under the consideration of shrinkage and variable volumetric effective diffusivity. The established relationship between moisture content, temperature, and effective diffusivity validated the effectiveness of considering the variable volumetric effective diffusivity. The appearance of shrinkage during drying and the shrinkage coefficient have been determined for better predicting the variation of moisture content during drying to provide a thorough theoretical basis for industrial processes.

Keywords:

• Effective diffusion
• Fish drying
• Mathematical modeling
• Shrinkage

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful for support from the earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System (CARS-46), CN201210 and JUSRP111A34.