Thermal field in MW processing of foods

Infrared thermography assisted control for apples microwave drying

A microwave based system was developed for drying of apple slices while on-line controlling their temperatures. An infrared thermography assisted control system allowed to realize temperature control by detecting the instantaneous maximum temperature among the samples under test instead of a chosen slice. The effectiveness of the system at hand in realizing temperature control both in space and in time was proven for three temperatures: 55, 65 and 75 C. Temperature fluctuations became larger both with time increasing and with rising temperature levels thus causing a negative impact on dried fruit quality. In fact apples slices dried at 75 C by microwave showed L⁄ (lightness) and white index…

Comparing different processing methods in apple slice drying. Part 2 solid-state Fast Field Cycling 1H-NMR relaxation properties, shrinkage and changes in volatile compounds

The objective of this paper was to study the effects of different drying methods that are: microwave (MW), hot air (HA) and a combination of both (HY), on the 1H-NMR relaxation properties, shrinkage and volatile compounds of Golden Delicious apple slices. Fast field cycling NMR relaxometry reveals that the HA samples dried at different temperatures (65 and 75 °C) appear to contain less restrained water as compared to the sample obtained by MW heating at the same temperatures. In fact, the longitudinal relaxation rates (T1) of the water molecules in the HA dried slices resulted shorter than those measured for the MW dried samples, thereby revealing that in the MW slices, water molecules beha…

A procedure to achieve fine control in MW processing of foods

Abstract A two-dimensional analytical model for predicting the unsteady temperature field in a cylindrical shaped body affected by spatially varying heat generation is presented. The dimensionless problem is solved analytically by using both partial solutions and the variation of parameters techniques. Having in mind industrial microwave heating for food pasteurization, the easy-to-handle solution is used to confirm the intrinsic lack of spatial uniformity of such a treatment in comparison to the traditional one. From an experimental point of view, a batch pasteurization treatment was realized to compare the effect of two different control techniques both based on IR thermography readout: t…

Evolution of Carotenoids, Sensory Profiles and Volatile Compounds in Microwave-Dried Fruits of Three Different Loquat Cultivars (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)

The consumption of loquat fruits is highly appreciated for their carotenoid content and valuable sensory notes, but it is limited due to the low shelf-life. An on-line temperature controlled microwave system based on infrared thermography was used to dry three different loquat cultivar at 60 °C. The time to reach the target value of 23% moisture content was about 105 min in Claudia fruits and 162 min in Virticchiara and Peluche. Seven carotenoids were identified in loquat fruits, among these the major were all-trans-β-carotene in Virticchiara and Claudia. Virticchiara had the major total carotenoid content (206 μg/g dry basis), followed by Peluche (158 μg/g d.b.) and Claudia (41 μg/g d.b.).…

Microwave drying of aubergine (Solanum Melongena) slices: kinetic and quality changes.

Comparing different processing methods in apple slice drying. Part 1. Performance of microwave, hot air and hybrid methods at constant temperatures

The drying curves, energy efficiency and colour variations of sliced apples dried at various temperatures and using different techniques were evaluated, i.e. microwave (35, 55 and 65 °C), hot air (35, 55, 65 and 75 °C) and combination of both (65 °C). The microwave (MW) tests also included comparison between air recirculation and continuous inlet of fresh air. Each drying method was evaluated at a fixed temperature level by means of a control system based on infrared thermography. The time required to complete the drying process at 65 °C varied from about 44 min for MW with fresh air ventilation (double with air recirculation), to 122 min for hybrid heating and 238 min for hot air. Drying k…

Influence of mode stirrer and air renewal on controlled microwave drying of sliced zucchini

An on-line temperature-controlled microwave (MW) system, based on infrared thermography, was developed for drying zucchini slices. Moreover, the effects of different configurations, including turntable rotation, mode stirrer and air renewal, alone or in combination, on drying kinetics and quality of dried product were evaluated. The combination of stirrer and air renewal reduced the drying time of zucchini slices by about 48% with respect to the basic configuration and by 22% with respect to air renewal only. The lowest oscillation of temperatures about the fixed level (65 °C) was found when operating with the stirrer mode, because of the improved uniformity of the MW distribution. The sa…

Drying rate control in microwave assisted processing of sliced apples

The most enhanced microwave systems for the preparation of quality-dehydrated fruits continuously adjust the power level in order to maintain the product temperature above a target value. As a result, typical drying curves that exhibit high drying rates in the middle stage are obtained. This can often lead to quality damage or undesirable changes on food colour and texture. In response to these issues, a microwave system is proposed that can realise drying processes keeping drying rates constant. This approach required a continuous temperature adjustment of the apple slices under test, whose temperature was detected by a computer-aided infrared thermography system. Since temperature correct…

Effect on Orange Juice of Batch Pasteurization in an Improved Pilot-Scale Microwave Oven

The effects on orange juice batch pasteurization in an improved pilot-scale microwave (MW) oven was evaluated by monitoring pectin methyl-esterase (PME) activity, color, carotenoid compounds and vitamin C content. Trials were performed on stirred orange juice heated at different temperatures (60, 70, 75, and 85 degrees C) during batch process. MW pilot plant allowed real-time temperature control of samples using proportional integrative derivative (PID) techniques based on the infrared thermography temperature read-out. The inactivation of heat sensitive fraction of PME, that verifies orange juice pasteurization, showed a z-value of 22.1 degrees C. Carotenoid content, responsible for sensor…

Effects of microwave and hot-air drying methods on colour, β-carotene and radical scavenging activity of apricots

Summary The effects of drying by microwave and convective heating at 60 and 70 °C on colour change, degradation of β-carotene and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity of apricots were evaluated. Microwave heating reduced significantly the drying time (up to 25%), if compared with convective one, also owing to the higher temperature reached during the last phase of the process, as monitored by infrared thermography. Colour changes of apricot surface, described with lightness and hue angle, in both drying methods followed a first-order reaction (0.927 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.996). The apricots dried by microwave were less affected by the darkening phenomena. The evolution of …