Thermal properties of straw mushroom Original Research Article

The effects of moisture content (30–90% wet basis) and temperature (50–80 °C) on thermal properties of straw mushroom were studied. Specific heat was measured by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) while the bulk thermal conductivity was measured by a line heat source probe apparatus. Bulk thermal diffusivity was then calculated from the experimental results of the specific heat, bulk thermal conductivity and bulk density. The specific heat, bulk thermal conductivity and bulk thermal diffusivity of straw mushroom were found to be in the ranges of 2.284–4.008 kJ kg−1 °C−1, 0.212–0.668 W m−1 °C−1 and 1.064 × 10−7–1.962 × 10−7 m2 s−1, respectively. The empirical equations of these thermal properties were subsequently expressed as a function of moisture content and temperature.