| he sequence of events during the chemical or lye (NaOH) peeling of selected model commodities, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and pimiento pepper (Capsicum annum L.), is examined. In an empirical study with pimiento peppers, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to analyze pilot plant experimental data. Results indicated that NaOH concentration and processing time are the most significant factors during a peeling operation with temperature being less important when ranging from 80;A diffusion cell was designed and a method for measuring the diffusivity of chemicals through biological membranes (such as skins of fruits and vegetables) was developed. The method was then used to investigate the diffusion of NaOH through the skin of tomatoes and pimiento peppers. The skin diffusivity was found to be independent of concentration above a certain baseline, which suggests that Fickian diffusion with an instantaneous chemical reaction takes place during peeling. The skin diffusivity of pimiento peppers was 5.5... |
