DEGREE OF ELASTICITY DETERMINATION IN SOLID FOODS

Specimens of a variety of foods (banana, cheese, frankfurter, jelly candy, marshmallow, and potato) were subjected to four compression-decompression cycles at two prefailure deformation levels (12.5-15 and 20-25%). Total and percent recoverable work in each cycle were determined using a universal testing machine interfaced with a computer. The magnitude of recoverable work, its strain dependency and response to successive cycles were characteristic of each material. Percent recoverable work was unrelated, however, to strength (stress at failure), deformability, and stiffness. The general level of recoverable work was about 60-80% of total work in the materials commonly considered "elastic" and 20-50% in those known as "plastic."