A simple method for the determination of the thermal diffusivity of foods by using a simple test bench is presented. The method is based on the analytical solution of the I D Fourier equation applied to a cylinder. The estimation of its associated error for a broad range of temperatures is systematically accomplished. Thermal diffusivity is obtained with a precision of about 4%, acceptable for most engineering applications, in particular in food industry. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.