Thermal Processing Techniques in Food Systems

Thermal processing encompasses a range of heat‐based treatments applied to food products to ensure microbiological safety, extend shelf life and preserve quality. Traditional methods include pasteurisation, blanching and retort sterilisation, while advanced approaches such as ohmic heating, microwave and radiofrequency treatments and combined high‐pressure–thermal processes are increasingly adopted. Central to these techniques is the controlled transfer of heat and mass within food matrices and equipment, often guided by predictive models and simulation tools. Optimising temperature‐time profiles can minimise nutrient degradation and undesirable sensory changes, reduce energy consumption and facilitate uniform sterilisation. Recent efforts have focused on integrating computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite‐element modelling to visualise temperature fields and identify slowest‐heating zones, thereby improving process efficiency. Globally, thermal processing underpins the safe distribution of a vast array of products—from fruit purees and vegetable pastes to ready‐to‐eat meals—addressing food security challenges and supporting commercial competitiveness through enhanced quality and reduced waste.

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Finite‐element simulation has been employed to optimise the thermal sterilisation of chestnut puree in canned form. By modelling heat and mass transfer, researchers devised a two‐stage sterilisation sequence that achieved equivalent lethality at lower peak temperatures, mitigating enzymatic browning and improving product quality. Validation against thermal penetration tests confirmed prediction accuracy, offering a template for canning enterprises to enhance both safety and sensory attributes while curbing energy use.

Computational fluid dynamics has been applied to the pasteurisation of tomato paste via a shell‐and‐tube heat exchanger. A three‐dimensional CFD model, incorporating real thermophysical properties and the Herschel–Bulkley viscosity model, mapped temperature evolution throughout the processing line. Simulation results corresponded closely with experimental data, and evaluation of different hot‐water mass flow rates provided actionable insights for industrial deployment, enabling processors to achieve target temperatures with minimal energy expenditure.

Numerical analysis has also informed retort sterilisation of diced white radish in packages of varying geometry. Heat transfer simulations, calibrated with an appropriate heat‐transfer coefficient, predicted F₀‐values for cold‐point lethality targets. The study highlighted that samples with higher surface‐area‐to‐volume ratios reached sterilisation faster, while uniformity of quality attributes such as texture and colour was maintained. This approach illustrates how simulation can guide package design and process parameters to align food safety objectives with quality outcomes.

Thermal Processing Techniques in Food Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in thermal processing techniques in food systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Retort processing: High‐temperature steam or water treatment of sealed containers to achieve commercial sterility.

Pasteurisation: Gentle heating to destroy pathogenic microorganisms and inactivate enzymes while retaining nutritional and sensory qualities.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Numerical modelling of fluid flow, heat and mass transfer within processing equipment and food matrices.

F₀‐value: Standardised index of thermal lethality equivalent to minutes at 121.1 °C, used to quantify sterilisation efficacy.

Thermal penetration test: Experimental measurement of time–temperature profiles at the slowest‐heating zone within a food package to validate process design.

References

1. Simulation and optimization of the thermal sterilization process of puree cans using the production of chestnut puree as an example. Frontiers in Microbiology (2023).
2. Analyzing and simulating heat transfer and designing a shell and tube heat exchanger for the pasteurization process of tomato paste: A CFD study. Heliyon (2023).
3. Using Numerical Analysis to Develop a Retort Process to Enhance Antioxidant Activity and Physicochemical Properties of White Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) in Different-Sized Packages. Processes (2022).