Temperature Profile in Starch during Irradiation. Indirect Effects in Starch by Radiation-Induced Heating

Abstract

Present research deals with exposure of granular starch to the accelerated electron of 5.5 MeV energy in order to examine: (i) the temperature evolution in starch within an irradiation process and (ii) the indirect effects generated in starch by radiation-induced heating. The temperature evolution in potato and corn starches within the irradiation process was investigated by placing two different sensors inside each starch batch and recording the temperature simultaneously. Each starch batch was sampled into distinct location sectors of different absorbed radiation levels. The output effects in each sample were analyzed through physicochemical properties such as moisture content, acidity and color attributes. The outcomes showed that a starch temperature profile had different major stages: (i) heating during irradiation, (ii) post-irradiation heating, up to the maximum temperature is reached, and (iii) cooling to the room temperature. A material constant with signification of a relaxation time was identified by modeling the temperature evolution. Changes of the investigated properties were induced both by irradiation and radiation-induced heating, depending on the starch type and the batch sectors. Changes in the irradiated batch sectors were explained by irradiation and radiation-induced heating whereas changes in the sector of non-irradiated starch were attributed only to the heating.