rying characteristics of noodles prepared from 50% taro and remaining equal proportions of rice and
pigeonpea
flours were investigated in a conve
ctive type dryer for a temperature range of 50
°C
to
80
°C at a constant air velocity
of
1.5 m s
-
1
. Results indicated that drying took place in falling rate period. The sample dried at 50°C was fo
und better in color
as compared to samples at 60°C, 70°C
and 80°C. The rehydration weight of noodles decreased with the increase in drying
temperature. Moisture transfer from noodles was described by applying Fick’s diffusion model and th
e effective moisture
diffusivity was calculated.
Effective moisture dif
fusivity increased with increase in temperature.
An Arrhenius relation with
activation energy of 38.53
kJ
mol
-
1
expressed the effect of temperature on moisture diffusivity.
Mathematical models were
fitted to the experimental data and the performance of t
hese models were evaluated by comparing the coefficient of
determination (
R
2
), Root mean square error (
RMSE
), reduced chi
-
square (
χ
2
), percent mean relative deviation modulus (
E
%)
between observed and predicted moisture ratio.
Verma model gave the best results for describing the drying behaviour of