Dielectric properties of a pregelatinized bread system at 2450 MHz as a function of temperature, moisture, salt and specific volume

Dielectric properties [dielectric constant (epsilon') and loss factor (epsilon")] were measured using the transmission line technique. Dielectric constant was independent of salt content while epsilon" increased when salt was added. Dielectric constant increased when temperature increased from 25 to 60 degrees C then became virtually constant from 60 to 95 degrees C for all samples. Loss factor increased linearly from 25 to 95 degrees C for samples containing 1% salt and decreased linearly when no salt was present. Both epsilon' and epsilon" increased linearly with respect to mass concentration of water (g(water)/cm3sample). Ground bread crumb had lower epsilon' and epsilon" than intact bread when other parameters were kept constant