Thermal Processing of Packaged Foods

Book excerpt: This new edition discusses the physical and engineering aspects of the thermal processing of packaged foods and examines the methods which have been used to establish the time and temperature of processes suitable to achieve adequate sterilization or pasteurization of the packaged food. The third edition is totally renewed and updated, including new concepts and areas that are relevant for thermal food processing: This edition is formed by 22 chapters—arranged in five parts—that maintain great parts of the first and second editions The First part includes five chapters analyzing different topics associated to heat transfer mechanism during canning process, kinetic of microbial death, sterilization criteria and safety aspect of thermal processing. The second part, entitled Thermal Food Process Evaluation Techniques, includes six chapters and discusses the main process evaluation techniques. The third part includes six chapters treating subjects related with pressure in containers, simultaneous sterilization and thermal food processing equipment. The fourth part includes four chapters including computational fluid dynamics and multi-objective optimization. The fifth part, entitled Innovative Thermal Food Processing, includes a chapter focused on two innovative processes used for food sterilization such high pressure with thermal sterilization and ohmic heating. Thermal Processing of Pa ckaged Foods, Third Edition is intended for a broad audience, from undergraduate to post graduate students, scientists, engineers and professionals working for the food industry.