Simulation of the drying curves of a meat-based product:: effect of the external resistance to mass transfer

A simple mathematical model solved by the separation of variables method is proposed to simulate the drying curves of a meat-based product (sobrassada), taking into account the influence of the external mass transfer resistance. By using the experimental data of a drying curve obtained at 14 degreesC and 85% relative humidity (RH), both effective diffusivity and external mass transfer coefficients were simultaneously identified (2.86 x 10(-11) m(2)/s and 3.99 x 10(-3) m/s, respectively). The proposed model allowed the accurate simulation of the drying curves of this meat-based product at different RHs (from 70% to 85% RH) (average %var = 99.8%) and even when samples had a different chemical composition (%var = 98.1%) to that used to carry out the parametric identification. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.