Weight loss during freezing and storage of unpackaged foods

Abstract

Dehydration of unwrapped foods occurs during freezing and frozen storage. Coupled heat and mass balances were proposed incorporating solidification of water and sublimation of ice. The mathematical model was solved using an implicit finite-differences method, with a variable grid to follow the moving sublimation front. The model evaluates temperature and water concentration profiles and was used to predict the kinetics of weight loss for different products. Model predictions were favourably compared against experimental data on weight loss during storage of unwrapped meat, potato and tylose.