Correction in real time of deviations in commercial processes of food sterilization

• Grant number: 97/02663-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: November 01, 1997
• End date: December 31, 2001
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Alfredo de Almeida Vitali
• Grantee: Alfredo de Almeida Vitali
• Host Institution: Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos (ITAL). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant(s): 99/03512-3 - Algorithm for the calculation of pressure inside hermetically sealed packages, AR.EXT

Abstract

The proposed project is original in the aspect that there is still no system which allows for the correction in real time of deviations in the process of commercial sterilization of foods. The state of the art in this area is the existence of a mathematical model, based on the thermal properties of the product and on the temperature of the sterilizer, which seems to be consistent and of broad application to every type of product and packaging, permitting simulations of the necessary corrections in cases of process deviations. There already exists a developed software program which permits the carrying out of these simulations in a relatively short time, to make it possible for the correction to be applied in the course of the process. It remains, however, to add to this set of knowledge the information that would permit the automation of the process, collecting the data, carrying out the simulations and commanding the cycles of heating and cooling of the sterilizer, always maintaining the same degree of sterilization of the products, independently of unwanted or uncontrolled variations in the process. The national and foreign industries carry out the correction of deviations in the process using different techniques and forms, in an approximate manner, of non generalized application to all the situations of deviation and, therefore, none of them entirely satisfactory. The vast majority are unaware of the existence and are not accustomed to using the corrections according to model of simulations referred to here. Inherent to the project is a series of trials and studies that will involve a careful verification of the techniques for the precise determination of the thermal properties of the products, fundamental for a good simulation and correction of deviations. Even further prioritized will be more critical situations in the process for the evaluation of reliability of the model used, given that the data existing in the literature refers to normal process conditions. Other models of more restricted scope will be used for comparison of the results, given that all of them will be compared with the results of the real measures to be effected. In this phase of the study possible changes are envisaged in the surrounding conditions used in the original model, as well as in premises of the model, aiming for a possible simplification and refinement in the calculation routine, with gains in computer time (response) and in the precision of the results. (AU)