PHOTOACOUSTIC MONITORING OF PROCESSING CONDITIONS IN COOKED TORTILLAS- MEASUREMENT OF THERMAL-DIFFUSIVITY

The thermal diffusivity and conductivity of cooked tortillas processed under different conditions were measured at room temperature using a proposed open-photoacoustic cell (OPC) detection technique. Samples we re cut from cooked tortillas and exposed to air for different times pr ior to measurements. Variations in thermal diffusivity inversely corre lated with cooking time. Lime appeared to increase the degree of cross linking, raising thermal diffusivity and decreasing cooking time. By c areful process modification a measure of control could be used to impr ove the heat conduction properties of tortillas.