17H-1 |
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R. J. SIMPSON, Procesos Quimicos, Biotecnologicos y Ambientales, Univ. Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso, 5632, Chile Thermal processing is an important method of food preservation in the manufacture of shelf stable canned foods, and has been the cornerstone of the food processing industry for more than a century. The basic function of a thermal process is to inactivate food spoilage micro-organisms in sealed containers of food using heat treatments at temperatures well above the ambient boiling point of water in pressurized steam retorts (autoclaves). Excessive heat treatment should be avoided because it is detrimental to food quality and under utilises plant capacity. This paper describes one of the potential applications on utilising the Revisited General Method (RGM). The RGM procedure allows for the identification of an isolethal processes for a specified product. The objective of this research study was to analyse the potential implementation of simultaneous sterilisation utilising the RGM procedure. In order to maximise the output from a specified plant location processing different products and container sizes, isolethal processes were identified for various product/containers from which a common set of process conditions could be chosen for simultaneous sterilisation of different product lots in the same retort. The opportunity to carry out simultaneous sterilisation and the possibility to employ alternative processes (same F value) provides flexibility to optimise retort utilization. Within a pre-established range of F values, it was possible to obtain all the combinations for simultaneous sterilisation. The potential implementation was analysed studying 16 different products. This procedure is of special relevance for companies that normally work with many different products at the same time.
Session 17H, Food Engineering: Thermal processes
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