Mathematical model development, experimental validation and process optimization: retortable pouches packed with seafood in cone frustum shape

Abstract The aim of this research was to develop and validate a mathematical model coupled with an optimization technique for thermal processing of conduction-heated foods in retortable pouches in order to: (a) search for variable retort temperature profiles to minimize process time, and (b) search for variable retort temperature profiles to minimize quality gradient (thiamine) within the product. The model was validated utilizing Jack mackerel (Trachurus Murphyi) packed in retortable pouches. The conjugated gradient method was utilized as a search technique to find the best variable retort temperature profile to satisfy the specific objectives. The simulation results were in good agreement with the observed temperatures. The prediction errors obtained in the validation study were under 5%. Non-significant differences (P

[1]  Sudhir K. Sastry,et al.  Effect of Packaging Materials on Temperature Fluctuations in Frozen Foods: Mathematical Model and Experimental Studies , 1986 .

[2]  J. Torres,et al.  Sterilization of Conduction‐Heated Foods in Oval‐Shaped Containers , 1989 .

[3]  A. Teixeira,et al.  COMPUTER SIMULATION OF VARlABLE RETORT CONTROL AND CONTAINER GEOMETRY AS A POSSIBLE MEANS OF IMPROVING THIAMINE RETENTION IN THERMALLY PROCESSED FOODS. , 1975 .

[4]  T. A. Hatton,et al.  Optimal Nutrient Retention during the Thermal Processing of Conduction‐Heated Canned Foods: Application of the Distributed Minimum Principle , 1985 .

[5]  T. Ohlsson.  OPTIMAL STERILIZATION TEMPERATURES FOR FLAT CONTAINERS , 1980 .

[6]  Arthur A. Teixeira,et al.  EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTER MODELS FOR THERMAL PROCESS EVALUATION , 1975 .

[7]  M. J. Box.  A New Method of Constrained Optimization and a Comparison With Other Methods , 1965, Comput. J..

[8]  Julio R. Banga,et al.  Optimization of the Thermal Processing of Conduction-Heated Canned Foods: Study of Several Objective Functions , 1991 .

[9]  Hosahalli S. Ramaswamy,et al.  Modeling and optimization of variable retort temperature (VRT) thermal processing using coupled neural networks and genetic algorithms , 2002 .

[10]  Israel Saguy,et al.  OPTIMAL RETORT TEMPERATURE PROFILE IN OPTIMIZING THIAMIN RETENTION IN CONDUCTION-TYPE HEATING OF CANNED FOODS , 1979 .

[11]  M. Le Maguer,et al.  Food engineering and process applications , 1986 .

[12]  Thomas Ohlsson,et al.  Optimal sterilization temperatures for sensory quality in cylindrical containers , 1980 .

[13]  S. R. Bhowmik,et al.  Effect on Retortable Pouch Heat Transfer Coefficients of Different Thermal Processing Stages and Pouch Material , 1990 .

[14]  S. Holdsworth.  Thermal processing of packaged foods , 1997 .

[15]  J. R. Dixon,et al.  Computer determination of spore survival distributions in thermally-processed conduction-heated foods , 1969 .

[16]  K. Atkinson.  Elementary numerical analysis , 1985 .

[17]  D. Lund,et al.  THE LETHALITY‐FOURIER NUMBER METHOD: EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION OF A MODEL FOR CALCULATING TEMPERATURE PROFILES AND LETHALITY IN CONDUCTION‐HEATING CANNED FOODS , 1977 .

[18]  S. Bhowmik,et al.  Quality retention and steam consumption of selected thermal processes , 1988 .

[19]  Paul Tobback,et al.  Simultaneous optimisation of surface quality during the sterilisation of packed foods using constant and variable retort temperature profiles , 1996 .

[20]  K. V. Chau,et al.  OPTIMIZATION OF QUALITY RETENTION IN CONDUCTION-HEATING FOODS OF CONICAL SHAPE , 2003 .

[21]  Influence of Selected Thermal Processing Conditions on Steam Consumption and on Mass Average Sterilizing Values , 1983 .

[22]  Yoshimi Terajima,et al.  Retort Temperature Profile for Optimum Quality during Conduction‐Heating of Foods in Retortable Pouches , 1996 .

[23]  James V. Beck,et al.  Inverse Heat Conduction , 2023 .

[24]  Cristina L. M. Silva,et al.  Critical evaluation of commonly used objective functions to optimize overall quality and nutrient retention of heat-preserved foods , 1992 .

[25]  J. Torres,et al.  Time-variable retort temperature profiles for cylindrical cans: batch process time, energy consumption, and quality retention model , 1993 .

[26]  Paul Tobback,et al.  OPTIMIZATION of SURFACE QUALITY RETENTION DURING the THERMAL PROCESSING of CONDUCTION HEATED FOODS USING VARIABLE TEMPERATURE RETORT PROFILES , 1993 .

[27]  K. V. Chau,et al.  NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF CONDUCTION HEATING IN CONICALLY SHAPED BODIES , 2003 .

[28]  Ricardo Simpson,et al.  Mathematical models and logic for the computer control of batch retorts: Conduction-heated foods , 1993 .

[29]  M. A. Tung,et al.  Surface Heat Transfer Coefficients for Steam/Air Mixtures in Two Pilot Scale Retorts , 1984 .