Prediction of Dough Browning in the Microwave Oven from Temperatures at the Susceptor/Product Interface

Abstract

A model for predicting browning of dough in the microwave oven using thin layer susceptors is described based on an extended, previously reported, equation for predicting the temperature at the dough/susceptor interface. It was found that browning of the dough followed a first order reaction. The model was tested for four different dough (and susceptor) diameters, 12 different dough weights, two different types of dough and five susceptors with different surface resistivities. A generalized equation for predicting the temperature at the susceptor/dough interface from the heating time, dough parameters and susceptor resistivity was found and is reported. The calculated temperatures were used to predict the extent of dough browning in the microwave oven. In all cases, a good agreement between the predicted values of the browning parameter and those determined experimentally was obtained. © 1997 Academic Press Limited.