• The Korean Journal of Rheology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.143-152
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• 1999

Using a Rheometrics Fluids Spectrometer(RFS II), the steady shear flow and the small-amplitude dynamic viscoelastic properties of three kinds of semi-solid food materials(mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, and wasabi) have been measured over a wide range of shear rates and angular frequencies. The shear rate dependence of steady flow behavior and the angular frequency dependence of dynamic viscoelastic behavior were reported from the experimentally measured data. In addition, some viscoplastic flow models with a yield stress term were employed to make a quantitative evaluation of the steady flow behavior, and the applicability of these models was also examined in detail. Furthermore, the correlations between steady shear flow(nonlinear behavior) and dynamic viscoelastic(linear behavior)properties were discussed using the modified power-law flow equations. Main results obtained from this study can be summarized as follows : (1) Semi-solid food materials are regarded as viscoplastic fluids having a finite magnitude of yield stress, and their flow behavior shows shear-thinning characteristics, exhibiting a decrease in steady flow viscosity with increasing shear rate. (2) The Herschel-Bulkley, Mizrahi-Berk, and Heinz-Casson models are all applicable to describe the steady flow behavior of semi-solid food materials. Among these models, the Heinz-Casson model has the best validity. (3) Semi-solid food materials show a stronger shear-thinning behavior at shear rate region higher than a critical shear rate where a more progressive structure breakdown takes place. (4) Both the storage and loss moduli are increased with increasing angular frequency, but they have a slight dependence on angular frequency. The elastic behavior is dominant to the viscous behavior over a wide range of angular frequencies. (5) All of the steady flow, dynamic, and complex viscosities are well satisfied with the power-law model behavior. The relationships between steady shear flow and dynamic viscoelastic properties can well be described by the modified forms of the power-law flow equations.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.272-277
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• 2009

In this research, three dimensional mathematical models were developed to predict the shelf life of tofu packaged in a semi-rigid plastic container. A model combining oxygen transfer through the package and oxygen consumption within the package was considered. According to the results, the model simulations estimated that the number of microorganisms in the filled water was higher than that in the tofu, suggesting the shelf life of packaged tofu was not affected by the number of microorganisms in the tofu product, but rather by the number of organisms in the filled water. Additionally, the effects of the physical properties of the packaging material, such as oxygen permeability through the package, oxygen diffusion coefficient, the initial oxygen concentration in the filled water, and the depth of the filled water in the packaged tofu, were also observed.