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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Food Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #106454
Title: INFRARED HEATING OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS

Author
item Fasina, Oladiran
item TYLER, R - SASKATCHEWAN UNIV CANADA

Submitted to: Food Processing Operations Modeling: Design and Analysis
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2000
Publication Date: 1/1/2001
Citation: Fasina, O.O., Tyler, R.T. 2001. Infrared heating of biological materials. In: Food Processing Operations Modeling: Design and Analysis. Marcel Dekker, NY. p. 189-224.

Interpretive Summary: Despite the wide use of infrared heating in the food industry, there is lack of information in the scientific literature regarding equations that can be used to describe the heating process. In the first part of this review paper, the uses and applicability of infrared heating in foods and biological materials are presented. The advantages and disadvantages of using this method for various materials are discussed. In addition to increasing the temperature of biological materials, examples of changes in the properties of cereal grains and legume seeds due to infrared heating are given. These changes are often desired in food materials in order to increase their shelf life (due to inactivation of spoilage microbes and enzymes), improve digestibility, and, overall, to produce a safe food. The latter part of the manuscript describes the equations that can be used to predict the changes in temperature and moisture of biological materials when infrared heated. The models are important to the understanding and improvement of the infrared heating process. A comparison of the infrared heating system to a conventional (hot air) heating system for grains using the developed model indicated that infrared heating is more efficient in terms of heat transfer rate. The chapter will provide a good reference for engineering professionals involved with the design of heating processes for food and non-food applications, and a valuable source of information for scientists interested in the merits and demerits of infrared heating.

Technical Abstract: Despite the wide use of infrared heating in the food industry, there is lack of information in the scientific literature regarding equations that can be used to describe the heating process. In the first part of this review paper, the uses and applicability of infrared heating in foods and biological materials are presented. The advantages and disadvantages of using this method for various materials are discussed. In addition to increasing the temperature of biological materials, examples of changes in the properties of cereal grains and legume seeds due to infrared heating are given. These changes are often desired in food materials in order to increase their shelf life (due to inactivation of spoilage microbes and enzymes), improve digestibility, and, overall, to produce a safe food. The latter part of the manuscript describes the equations that can be used to predict the changes in temperature and moisture of biological materials when infrared heated. The models are important to the understanding and improvement of the infrared heating process. A comparison of the infrared heating system to a conventional (hot air) heating system for grains using the developed model indicated that infrared heating is more efficient in terms of heat transfer rate. The chapter will provide a good reference for engineering professionals involved with the design of heating processes for food and non-food applications, and a valuable source of information for scientists interested in the merits and demerits of infrared heating. To be published in Food Processing Operations Modeling: Design and Analysis (Marcel Dekker).