Eyring-Polanyi versus Exponential Model for Chemical Reactions
Eyring-Polanyi versus Exponential Model for Chemical Reactions
The temperature dependence of the rate of chemical reactions and biological processes is frequently described by the Arrhenius equation. A recently introduced alternative in food research is the Eyring–Polanyi model, adapted from chemical kinetics. It is shown here that there are many conditions in which data generated with a simpler exponential model can be fitted with the Eyring–Polanyi model and vice versa. This suggests that an Eyring–Polanyi model is not sufficient to definitively establish the existence of a temperature-independent "free energy of activation" in food processes and reactions unless the presence of an activated state can be confirmed independently.