Response surface methodology principles

These principles formed the basis for producing high quality carrots and potatoes by a process of biopolymer infusion followed by high temperature short time fluidized bed dehydration. Infused biopolymers was shown to penetrate intracellular spaces and cell walls and may contribute to reduced cell collapse in the dehydration process. Deposition of infused biopolymer within the cells was elucidated using a convalently bound complex of biopolymer and colored dye which was visible upon histochemical examinations under a microscope. The dehydration process was optimized with response surface methodology. The resulting products have excellent quality, high rehydration ratio and a puffed structure. 

Response surface methodology (RSM) is an optimization technique based on factorial designs introduced by G.E.R Box in the 1950s. Since then, RSM has been used with great success for modeling various industrial processes. In this chapter, we use the concepts introduced in the previous chapters to explain the basic principles of RSM. The interested reader can find more comprehensive treatments in Cornell (1990a), Myers and Montgomery (2002) and in the excellent books and scientific papers of G.E.R Box and his co-workers (Box and Wilson, 1951 Box, 1954 Box and Youle, 1955 Box and Draper, 1987). 

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