Infrared Heating for Food and Agricultural Processing

Infrared heating offers many advantages in food processing, such as uniform heating. Over the past two decades, researchers have made significant progress in understanding the infrared heating of food products and interactions between infrared radiation and food components. The design and efficiency of infrared emitters have also been improved. This book presents the latest applications of infrared heating technology, focusing on thermal processing of food and agricultural products. In addition to the fundamentals, the text includes chapters that address such topics as infrared heating system design, drying, blanching, baking, thawing, pest management, and food safety improvement.

It’s been nearly 40 years since the last book on infrared heating for food processing was published, and in the meantime, the field has seen significant progress in understanding the mechanism of the infrared (IR) heating of food products and interactions between IR radiation and food components. Infrared Heating for Food and Agricultural Processing presents the latest applications of IR heating technology, focusing on thermal processing of food and agricultural products.

With an emphasis on novel application, the text includes chapters that address such topics as:

• Infrared heating system design



• Drying



• Blanching



• Baking



• Thawing



• Pest management



• Food safety improvement

Where applicable, this readily accessible guide reviews case studies to address specific industrial issues and the economic benefits of IR heating. Infrared Heating for Food and Agricultural Processing is a well-organized resource for food processing engineers and also quality control and safety managers in food processing and food manufacturing operations.