Optimal experimental designs for maximum precision in the estimation of diffusivities (D) and mass transfer coefficients (K c ) for solute transport from/to a solid immersed in a fluid were determined. Diffusion in the solid was considered to take place according to Fick's second law. It was found that the optimal design was dependent on the Biot number. In the range of Biot numbers tested (0.1±200), the first sampling time corresponded to values of fractional loss/uptake between 0.10 and 0.32, and the second sampling time corresponded to values of fractional loss/uptake between 0.67 and 0.82. Pseudo-experimental data were simulated by applying randomly generated sets of errors, taken from a normal distribution with 5% standard deviation, to data calculated using given values of the model parameters. Both optimal and heuristic designs (for which the sampling times corresponded to values of fractional loss/uptake from 0.30 to 0.95) were analyzed. The accuracy and precision of the estimates obtained by non-linear regression were compared. It was confirmed that optimal designs yield best results in terms of precision, although it was concluded that the joint estimation of D and K c should, in general, be avoided. For intermediate values of the Biot number, reasonably precise and accurate estimates can however be obtained if the experimental error is small. # 1998 IMACS/Elsevier Science B.V.

The main objective of this work was to assess the adequacy of a 5% agarose gel to simulate the acetic acid acidification process in cut raw root vegetables. The process was well described by a Fickian model, and temperature dependence of diffusivity followed Arrhenius behaviour from 20 to 70°C with an activation energy of 16.8 kJ mol-I. Equilibrium conditions were described with a constant partition coefficient of 0.94. External resistance to mass transfer was measurable under stagnant conditions and the mass transfer coefficients also changed with temperature as in an Arrhenius type equation with activation energy of 17.8 kJ mol-I. Raw turnips and potatoes were acidified for comparison and the acid uptake followed a similar behaviour, although some differences in the parameters were observed. In general terms it was concluded that the 5% agarose gel is a suitable model food for studying acetic acid processing of raw root vegetables with exposed cut surfaces.

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