Cutting-edge innovation and revolutionary new advances are often the glitter that turns into gold for food & beverage processors. But the wise ones know that often the tried-and-true processes are the ones where attention must still be paid to gain an edge in the marketplace.
The application of heat to food and beverage products to transform them into high-quality, safe items applies. Although thermal processing has been around, the industry hasn’t reached the end of the line for advancement, explains Sally Staben, director of lab services-R&D with Hormel Foods.
“Thermal processing has been a proven cooking method for years and is essential for ensuring food safety,” she says. “Even though it has been around for a long time, progress in technology and innovation present opportunities to improve it even further.”
Advances run the gamut from various heating methods (use of microwave or pressure, or sous vide applications) to improvements in automation and process monitoring and onward to the use of wireless loggers to provide real-time data.
“The combination of advanced technology, affordability and ease of use enables the industry to be more effective in maintaining temperature control,” Staben adds.
Improvements in temperature recording and monitoring have been a big assist for processors, and they’ve also seen advances in the tools available to help ensure food safety, says Lynn Knipe, associate professor and processed meats extension specialist at Ohio State University.
“Ten or 15 years ago, there basically were two pathogen modeling programs available, and now there are eight or 10 that I use and try to encourage companies to use,” he says. “There’s a lot of information out there now, where researchers have validated the safety of different products at different times and temperatures.”
Nevertheless, food safety challenges continue to evolve, and the industry continues to develop new methods to combat pathogens. Knipe says the concept of hydrated surface lethality (HSL) has been a particularly interesting development in the fight against Salmonella.
The issue for meat processors is Salmonella can adapt to dry product surfaces and dehydrate — making it more resistant to heat. Then, once moisture is reintroduced to the product, the Salmonella revives itself and has survived what was supposed to be a lethal cook step. Using HSL, a processor would increase the humidity in the oven for a short period of time during the cook step, applying higher humidity and high heat to the product surface.
“If there's any dehydrated Salmonella, it's rehydrated, and then you hit it with that high heat — and it kills all the Salmonella,” Knipe explains.
A safe, efficient process
Maximizing food safety and efficiency top the list of goals for processors in any aspect of operations, and thermal processing demands follow right along that path. Staben says operators continually seek ways to improve thermal processing systems to chip in toward those targets.
“Key priorities include enhanced temperature control, real-time monitoring and automation,” she says. “Faster processing times, easier maintenance and better data generation are also vital for boosting reliability and performance, as is access to information and training tools to ensure operators understand the reasoning behind, and proper use of, the equipment.”
Knipe says he’s seeing smaller processors gaining access to systems that help ensure food safety, such as chart recorders, for example, which aren’t a new technology, but one that may have previously been financially out of reach for some.
“That's been certainly a huge help in evaluating the safety of these products,” he says. “We were talking about chart recorders probably 15 years ago with our Thermal Processing Short Course, but I do see some very small companies now using those.”
The ability of processors to collect and analyze the data from their thermal processes has simply exploded onto the scene in recent years, Knipe says. USDA requires meat processors to validate that the cooked product is safe, and the data today does a great job of telling the story.
“In the past, you’d just go in and get the temperature at the end, so you only had a few numbers recorded,” he adds. “With the chart recorders, you’ve got numbers all through the whole cook time, and you can evaluate humidity, so it's a huge help in validating the product is safe.”
Staben agrees that advances in technology have significantly improved thermal processing operations and believes they will continue to drive progress in that area of the business.
“Key innovations such as automation, real-time monitoring and AI-driven systems will help optimize processing conditions and overall efficiency,” she says. “Additionally, new scientific research has made it easier to refine thermal processes, while data management improvements have streamlined the handling and analysis of operational data.”
Of course, as consumers continue to demand products with attributes that thermal processing can provide, processors will continue to look for ways to meet those demands most effectively.
“Consumers are increasingly looking for products with a ‘fresh’ appearance and taste, while also expecting long shelf life and convenience,” Staben says. “Consequently, the industry is always exploring new thermal processing technologies, such as sous vide cooking, to meet these demands.”
Processors need to be keenly aware of the differences in the cooking equipment in operation and how the variables in the plant around it can create unexpected consequences, as well. A smokehouse or walk-in oven is different than an inline oven with a conveyor that moves product through it, Knipe explains.
“The biggest variable with [those ovens] is the incoming temperature,” he says. “So if you had chicken nuggets or patties going in, that — for whatever reason — are two degrees colder today than they were yesterday, there's a possibility they could be two degrees colder coming out.”
Additionally, chilling product after thermal processing can pose as many challenges as cooking, Knipe says. Yet, for all the monitoring and tracking that processors have to do, thermal processing remains a primary control point for ready-to-eat items and a key contributor to safety and quality in many products, Staben says.
“It plays a crucial role in preserving food, ensuring microbial safety by inactivating harmful microorganisms and extending the shelf life for both shelf-stable and refrigerated items,” she explains. “Additionally, thermal processing is versatile and applicable to various products and packaging types.”
With a fairly simple, straightforward approach, thermal processing continues to keep consumers safe, no matter how complicated the validation and monitoring tactics have become over the years.
