Since the pore structures of food materials can vary with type,
depth, and dehydration time, and because these variations affect
significantly the energetics of the water–water and water–macromolecule
interactions, it could be beneficial to adjust heat supply
dynamically during food dehydration. Relevant to this topic in
our current work is the average interaction potential energy of
water molecules in the food structures at different dehydration
stages. In general, an upward or downward trend of this average
potential energy indicates a higher or lower amount of heat flux
needed for dehydration at similar rates. The average interaction
potential energy per water molecule calculated for the model food
systems with 100%, 80%, 60%, or 40% water content is presented in
Fig. 11(a). Not surprisingly, the results confirm the previous findings
discussed above that (i) the porous systems constructed with
amylose chains give rise to greater water interaction potential
energies and would thus require more heat to dehydrate than
the ones constructed with dextran chains and (ii) the systems with
higher polysaccharide chain densities also result in greater water
interaction potential energies and require more heat to dehydrate