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. 2022 Mar 23;11(7):919.
doi: 10.3390/foods11070919.

Temperature and Moisture Dependent Dielectric and Thermal Properties of Walnut Components Associated with Radio Frequency and Microwave Pasteurization

Yuxiao Mao  1 , Yujun Hao  1 , Xiangyu Guan  1 , Penghao Wang  1 , Shaojin Wang  1   2
Affiliations

Temperature and Moisture Dependent Dielectric and Thermal Properties of Walnut Components Associated with Radio Frequency and Microwave Pasteurization

Yuxiao Mao et al. Foods. .

Abstract

To provide necessary information for further pasteurization experiments and computer simulations based on radio frequency (RF) and microwave (MW) energy, dielectric and thermal properties of walnut components were measured at frequencies between 10 and 3000 MHz, temperatures between 20 and 80 °C, and moisture contents of whole walnuts between 8.04% and 20.01% on a dry basis (d.b.). Results demonstrated that dielectric constants and loss factors of walnut kernels and shells decreased dramatically with raised frequency within the RF range from 10 to 300 MHz, but then reduced slightly within the MW range from 300 to 3000 MHz. Dielectric constant, loss factor, specific heat capacity, and thermal conductivity increased with raised temperature and moisture content. Dielectric loss factors of kernels were greater than those of shells, leading to a higher RF or MW heating rate. Penetration depth of electromagnetic waves in walnut components was found to be greater at lower frequencies, temperatures, and moisture contents. The established regression models with experimental results could predict both dielectric and thermal properties with large coefficients of determination (R2 > 0.966). Therefore, this study offered essential data and effective guidance in developing and optimizing RF and MW pasteurization techniques for walnuts using both experiments and mathematical simulations.

Keywords: dielectric properties; microwave; pasteurization; radio frequency; thermal properties; walnut components.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Frequency-dependent dielectric constant (ε′) of walnut kernels at 7 temperatures with moisture contents of 4.21% (a), 8.08% (b), 12.08% (c), and 16.23% (d) (d.b.).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Frequency-dependent dielectric loss factor (ε″) of walnut kernels at 7 temperatures with moisture contents of 4.21% (a), 8.08% (b), 12.08% (c), and 16.23% (d) (d.b.).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Frequency-dependent dielectric constant (ε′) of walnut shells at 7 temperatures with moisture contents of 12.51% (a), 16.08% (b), 20.07% (c), and 23.86% (d) (d.b.).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Frequency-dependent dielectric loss factor (ε″) of walnut shells at 7 temperatures with moisture contents of 12.51% (a), 16.08% (b), 20.07% (c), and 23.86% (d) (d.b.).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Moisture content and temperature-dependent dielectric constant (ε′) of walnut kernels at frequencies of 27 (a), 40 (b), 915 (c), and 2450 (d) MHz.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Moisture content and temperature-dependent dielectric loss factor (ε″) of walnut kernels at frequencies of 27 (a), 40 (b), 915 (c), and 2450 (d) MHz.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Moisture content and temperature-dependent dielectric constant (ε′) of walnut shells at frequencies of 27 (a), 40 (b), 915 (c), and 2450 (d) MHz.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Moisture content and temperature-dependent dielectric loss factor (ε″) of walnut shells at frequencies of 27 (a), 40 (b), 915 (c), and 2450 (d) MHz.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Moisture content and temperature-dependent specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of walnut kernels (a,b) and shells (c,d).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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