Vol. 25, No. 2 (2026), Alim26714 https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/Alim26714

Model of the traditional Totopo baking process

 

Authors

A. E. Sánchez-Chacón, V. Simón-Simon, J. F. Hernández Ramírez

Abstract

This study is based on a review of specialized food engineering literature to develop a model aimed at evaluating the influence of heat and mass transfer mechanisms in the traditional totopo baking process, with the purpose of identifying its distinctive characteristics. Experimental data obtained using infrared sensors were collected directly from monitoring the operation of traditional ovens. The model incorporates an evaporation kinetics term that couples the totopo differential mass and energy balances. This approach allows the experimental monitoring of the dough surface temperature to serve as an effective indicator to guide process modeling, while also enabling the independent treatment of mass transfer parameters for each phase. The model results show that radiation and contact heat transfer mechanisms together contribute approximately 75–80% of the total energy supplied to the totopo, while convection accounts for the remainder. The study also helps identify suitable instrumentation for use in an experimental traditional oven, allowing for a more accurate estimation of the contribution of these mechanisms. Regarding internal mass transport in the vapor phase, the model proposes an effective transport coefficient that combines the influence of temperature with a convective component associated with pressure gradients.

Keywords

baking model, corn totopo, heat transfer, mass transfer, comixcal.

References
  • Carson, J. K., Willix, J., & North, M. F. (2006). Measurements of heat transfer coefficients within convection ovens. Journal of Food Engineering, 72(3), 293-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2004.12.010
  • Cengel, Y. A. and Ghajar, A. J., (2015) Heat and mass transfer; Fundamentals & Applications, 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill Education.
  • Cevoli, C., Panarese, V., Catalogne, C., & Fabbri, A. (2020). Estimation of the effective moisture diffusivity in cake baking by the inversion of a finite element model. Journal of Food Engineering, 270, 109769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2019.109769
  • Chakraborty, S., & Dash, K. K. (2023). A comprehensive review on heat and mass transfer simulation and measurement module during the baking process. Applied Food Research, 3(1), 100270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2023.100270
  • Demirkol, E., Erdogdu, F., & Palazoglu, T. K. (2006). A numerical approach with variable temperature boundary conditions to determine the effective heat transfer coefficient values during baking of cookies. Journal of Food Process Engineering, 29(5), 478-497. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4530.2006.00074.x.
  • Dincer, I. (2010). Heat and mass transfer during food drying. In Mathematical modeling of food processing (pp. 253-300). CRC Press.
  • Doulia, D., Tzia, K., & Gekas, V. (2000). A knowledge base for the apparent mass diffusion coefficient (DEFF) of foods. International Journal of Food Properties, 3(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10942910009524613.
  • Erbay, Z., & Icier, F. (2010). A review of thin layer drying of foods: theory, modeling, and experimental results. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 50(5), 441-464. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408390802437063
  • Feyissa, A. H., Gernaey, K. V., Ashokkumar, S., & Adler-Nissen, J. (2011). Modelling of coupled heat and mass transfer during a contact baking process. Journal of food engineering, 106(3), 228-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2011.05.014
  • Gutiérrez-Martínez, S. M.; Hernández-Varela, J. D.; Chanona-Pérez, J. J.; Méndez-Méndez, J. V.; González-Martínez, H.; Perea-Flores, M. J.; Mendoza-Vázquez, S. A.; González-Victoriano, L. (2024). Study of drying, thermal, shrinkage, and color kinetics using digital and thermographic imaging of potato slices under real-time convective drying. Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Química, 23(3), Alim24322. https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/Alim24322
  • Heldman, D. R., Lund, D. B., & Sabliov, C. (Eds.). (2018). Handbook of food engineering. CRC press.
  • Iribe‐Salazar, R., Gutiérrez‐Dorado, R., Ríos‐Iribe, É., Carrazco‐Escalante, M., Vázquez‐López, Y., Hernández‐Calderón, Ó., & Caro‐Corrales, J. (2018). Modeling of effective moisture diffusivity in corn tortilla baking. Journal of food science, 83(8), 2167-2175. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.14278
  • Kayacier, A., & Singh, R. K. (2004). Application of effective diffusivity approach for the moisture content prediction of tortilla chips during baking. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 37(2), 275-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2003.09.003
  • Krokida, M., & Saravacos, G. D. (2013). Transport properties in food process design. In Advances in Food Process Engineering Research and Applications (pp. 119-137). Boston, MA: Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7906-2_7
  • Loan, L. T. K., Tat, T. Q., Minh, P. D. T., Thao, V. T. T., Hoang, P. T. M., Nhi, T. T. Y., Giang, B. L., Phat, D. T., Mansamut, C., & Tai, N. V. (2025). Modeling of dehydration, polyphenol thermal degradation, and rehydration of instant germinated VD20 rice: Mathematical and artificial intelligence model. Revista Mexicana de Ingeniería Química, 24(1), Alim24400. https://doi.org/10.24275/rmiq/Alim24400
  • López-Saynes, G. (2018). Revaloración del totopo (Guetabiguii Yaachi) desde el enfoque de la economía social. El caso de mujeres productoras en Juchitán, Oaxaca Tesis de Maestría, IPN CIDIR, unidad Oaxaca.
  • Mittal, G. S. (2010). Mass Transfer Basics. In Mathematical Modeling of Food Processing (pp. 89-108). CRC Press.
  • Ousegui, A., Moresoli, C., Dostie, M., & Marcos, B. (2010). Porous multiphase approach for baking process–Explicit formulation of evaporation rate. Journal of Food Engineering, 100(3), 535-544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2010.05.003
  • Peters, B., Schröder, E., Bruch, C., & Nussbaumer, T. (2002). Measurements and particle resolved modelling of heat-up and drying of a packed bed. Biomass and bioenergy, 23(4), 291-306. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0961-9534(02)00052-1.
  • Rosentrater, K. A., Flores, R. A., Richard, T. L., & Bern, C. J. (1999). Physical and nutritional properties of corn masa by-product streams. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 15(5), 515-523.
  • Saadatkhah, N., Carillo Garcia, A., Ackermann, S., Leclerc, P., Latifi, M., Samih, S., ... & Chaouki, J. (2020). Experimental methods in chemical engineering: Thermogravimetric analysis—TGA. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 98(1), 34-43. https://doi.org/10.1002/cjce.23673
  • Saravacos, G. D., & Maroulis, Z. B. (2001). Transport properties of foods. CRC Press.
  • Serna-Saldivar, S. O., & Chuck-Hernandez, C. (2019). Food uses of lime-cooked corn with emphasis in tortillas and snacks. In Corn (pp. 469-500). AACC International Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-811971-6.00017-6
  • Thorvaldsson, K., & Janestad, H. (1999). A model for simultaneous heat, water and vapour diffusion. Journal of food engineering, 40(3), 167-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0260-8774(99)00052-7.
  • Urban, J. L., Vicariotto, M., Dunn-Rankin, D., & Fernandez-Pello, A. C. (2019). Temperature measurement of glowing embers with color pyrometry. Fire Technology, 55, 1013-1026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-018-0810-3.
  • Varzakas, T. & Tzia, C. (Eds.) (2014). Food Engineering Handbook Food Engineering Fundamentals. CRC Press.
  • Welti-Chanes, J., Vergara-Balderas, F. & Bermudez-Aguirre, D. (2005) Transport phenomena in food engineering: basic concepts and advances. Journal of Food Engineering 67(1-2), 113–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2004.05.053.
  • Xu, S., & Kerr, W. L. (2012). Modeling moisture loss during vacuum belt drying of low-fat tortilla chips. Drying Technology, 30(13), 1422-1431. https://doi.org/10.1080/07373937.2012.685999