Non-uniform Temperature Distribution During Microwave Heating of Food Materials—A Review

Use of microwaves has increased largely in the domestic household in the last few decades due to the convenience of using microwave ovens. In the industrial sector, microwave processing is used in some of the unit operations, while it is yet to capture a major place in the industrial applications. T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Food and bioprocess technology 2010-04, Vol.3 (2), p.161-171
Main Authors: Vadivambal, R, Jayas, D. S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Biotechnology
Chemistry
Chemistry and Materials Science
Chemistry/Food Science
Energy
Food
food industry
food processing
food processing quality
Food quality
Food safety
Food Science
Heating
Hot spots
Industrial applications
literature reviews
Microorganisms
Microwave heating
Microwave oven
microwave treatment
Microwaves
Nonuniformity
Ovens
problem solving
Review Paper
Reviews
Temperature distribution
Temperature effects
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Summary:Use of microwaves has increased largely in the domestic household in the last few decades due to the convenience of using microwave ovens. In the industrial sector, microwave processing is used in some of the unit operations, while it is yet to capture a major place in the industrial applications. The major drawback associated with microwave heating is the non-uniform temperature distribution, resulting in hot and cold spots in the heated product. The non-uniform temperature distribution not only affects the quality of the food but also raises the issue of food safety when the microorganisms may not be destroyed in the cold spots. The temperature distribution during microwave heating has been studied in a wide variety of products by several researchers. This paper summarizes their results and the solutions offered by them to lessen the non-uniformity of heating. The current applications of microwave energy in the industrial sector are also highlighted.
ISSN:1935-5130
1935-5149
DOI:10.1007/s11947-008-0136-0