Dielectric properties of foods relevant to RF and microwave pasteurization and sterilization

Abstract

A custom-built temperature-controlled test cell and an Agilent 4291B impedance analyzer were used to determine the dielectric properties of a whey protein gel, a liquid whey protein mixture, and a macaroni and cheese product and their constituents. Dielectric constants, loss factors, and penetration depths for each sample over a temperature range from 20 to 121.1 °C, at frequencies of 27, 40, 915, and 1800 MHz are reported. As temperature increased, dielectric constants of whey protein products increased at 27 and 40 MHz, but decreased at 915 and 1800 MHz. Dielectric loss factors of whey protein products increased sharply with increasing temperatures at 27 and 40 MHz, but increased mildly at 915 and 1800 MHz. Similar results were observed with macaroni and cheese. The penetration depths of electromagnetic energy at 27 and 40 MHz were about four times as great as those at the microwave frequencies 915 and 1800 MHz in all tested samples.