A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ACHIEVING CORRECT HEAT STERILIZATION PROCESSES: A ONE-DIMENSIONAL APPROACH to PACKAGED CONDUCTION HEATING of FOODS

Abstract

A procedure was developed for an on-line control system to achieve the correct heat sterilization for conduction heating of food. the procedure collects a series of time/temperature data via a sensing probe during the early stages of the heating phase and analyzes the collected data for parameters of conduction heating. From this data, it predicts the time/temperature relationship for the remainder for the heating phase and during cooling, integrates the lethal rate, and determines an appropriate time to start cooling to achieve a desired process lethality. This procedure has been further validated via laboratory experiments. This procedure estimated the true location of the sensing probe inserted in the food. Locating the sensing probe on the container outside surface saved considerable computer time for calculation and facilitated setting up the probe.