EVALUATION OF THERMAL PROCESSES FOR CONDUCTION HEATING FOODS IN PEAR‐SHAPED CONTAINERS

Abstract

A numerical model was developed to study transient heat conduction in a pear‐shaped can. The model was extended to perform bacterial lethality and nutrient retention calculations for foods processed in pear‐shaped containers. Transient temperature distributions and lethality predictions obtained from the numerical model when applied to finite cylinders, compared favorably with previously accepted solutions. Calculations of integrated F s values of processes for pear‐shaped containers indicated up to 50% overprocessing by the single point lethality concept. An “equivalent cylinder” was defined as one having a geometry index and characteristic heat transfer length corresponding to those of a pear‐shaped container. Process evaluations for “equivalent cylinders” were in agreement with solutions obtained for the pear‐shaped model.