Convegni ATI - Accesso riservato soci CTI

Autore: G. Cuccurullo, L. Cinquanta, M. Farina, M. Di Matteo

Collana: CA - 62 - Fisciano 2007

Note:
In this study microwave heating effect in terms of death kinetics of a selected microorganism, Lactobacillus plantarum in saline water, was investigated. Experimental trials were realized by comparing traditional water immersion heating with a specially tailored experimental setup for microwave heating, built in order to realize a desired temperature-level history under a proper control technique. Temperature control was assured by using proportional-integral- differential techniques based on infrared thermography temperature readout. Since the usual assumption of temperature uniformity within the food is far from to be achieved in microwave heating, the samples under test were subjected to sustained stirring for both traditional and MW heating thus letting temperature to depend on time alone and not on the position. Then, correct comparison between the two different heating methods in terms of lactobacillus inactivation was allowed by imposing the same temperature history for both. Process effectiveness turned out be independent of the method employed to heat the sample thus showing the inexistence of MW non thermal effect.