This study provides additional data to expand the thermal properties of foods data base in Chapter 31 of the ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals. The specific heat, thermal conductivity and mass density were measured for over 50 different low and intermediate-moisture food products in five product groups: (1) dried fruits, (2) meat products, (3) bakery products, (4) jams and jellies, and (5) pet foods. Thermal diffusivity was calculated from values of thermal conductivity, specific heat and mass density. Water content was also measured for each product. Temperature was varied from 0 to 40°C for at least one food product in each group.

Specific heat and thermal conductivity of all products increased with increasing water content and to a lesser extent, with increasing temperature. There was more variation in thermal diffusivity; generally, it tended to remain constant with changing water content and temperature, but did vary somewhat from this trend for certain products.

The objectives of this study were:

1. to measure the thermal conductivity, specific heat and mass density of representative samples of foods from each of five groups of low and intermediate-moisture foods.

2. to calculate thermal diffusivity of each food sample.