Specific Heat and Enthalpy of Foods

Thermophysical properties of foods are important for modeling and optimization of processes involving heating and cooling. The properties used in a mathematical model of heat transfer are usually thermal conductivity (k), specific heat (cp), and density ( r). An improved knowledge of these thermophysical properties of foods is essential in accurately predicting temperature changes, process duration, and energy consumption during processing (Fikiin and Fikiin, 1999). Among these properties, specific heat and density are significant in analyzing mass=energy balances; thermal conductivity is the key property in determining the rate of thermal energy transfer within

diffusivity p is a key property in the analysis of transient heat transfer (Heldman, 2002).