Science of Cooking

TLDR Using specific radio frequencies to heat the legumes

During RF heating moisture distribution and interactions with other components such as NFs and ANFs play a crucial role and it is assumed there is no temperature gradient from outside to inside in the sample. During RF heating, micro-explosions of water molecules within the sample are expected, leading to the formation of macropores and macro channels through which water vapour and other volatile compounds escape. These volatiles may include both antinutritional factors (ANFs) and nutritional factors (NFs) present in pulses (Oke, 2021). Understanding the pore characteristics of peas and pinto beans during RF heating is essential for designing an efficient thermal processing system for pulses. This study investigates pore formation in whole pea and pinto bean seeds subjected to varying moisture contents and RF power levels. It also explores the multiphysics of RF heating, particularly how water molecules within the macropores of these porous seeds are selectively and rapidly heated compared to the surrounding matrix. This phenomenon is further analyzed using computer simulations to better understand the interaction between dielectric heating and pore structure.