Moisture Sensing In Food Materials By Means

A major problem in the processed food is excessive variation of moisture content in food products andfood ingredients. This problem leads to waste, poor and inconsistent product quality, and loss ofrevenues. It is hoped that the subject of this proposal, the Thermo-Moisture Probe (TMP) system,could reduce these problems by providing a portable, inexpensive, quick and easy way to checkmoisture levels in food materials, including on the production lines. Moisture content could then bemore easily controlled. Presently used moisture content measuring systems are either too slow (dryingovens) or too expensive and complicated (Near Infrared) to be routinely used.Although a prototype TMP system has been built and has yielded promising test results, commercialfeasibility has yet to be proven. The overall goal of the proposed program is to demonstrate throughextensive testing that the TMP will provide accurate and repeatable readings of moisture content in avariety of processed food under a range of conditions.