Thermal

Treatment
Tecnologa
agroalimentaria I
Moiss Viacava

Thermal treatment
It

is the heating of a food product with the

purpose of inactivating pathogenic and
spoilage microorganisms rendering a food
safe to eat and with a good shelf life
Normally applied to food with a aw > 0.85:

Example of food products with aW < 0.86:

dried foods, sweets (candies), sweet
condensed milk, nuts, peanut butter,
chocolate, granola bars

Food classification according to pH

for thermal treatment application

*Note:

Clostridium botulinum will only grow and produce

toxins in canned products at a pH higher than 4.6

Types of thermal treatment

Pasteurization

Milder heat treatment: Lower temperatures

Objective: Inactivate vegetative microorganisms.
Specifically, achieve a 5-log kill of pathogens

Commercial Sterilization

More severe heat treatment: Higher temperatures

Objective: Inactivate bacterial spores. Specifically,
achieve a 12-log kill of Clostridium botulinum

Pasteurization
The

food product is usually heated to a

Temperature 100C (hot water or
steam)
Applied in the following cases:

Canned foods of pH < 4.7 (or 4.6)

Foods of any pH that will be stored under
refrigeration (eg liquid eggs, milk, some
hams)

Modes of applying
pasteurization
Hot

filling / in-bottle Pasteurization

Food is heated in kettle or heat exchanger

Then hot-filled in container, sealed and held hot
(85 - 90C) for several minutes (Alicyclobacillus
acidoterrestris)
The sealed container is immersed in hot water or
subject to a hot water shower (tunnel pasteurizer)
eg acid foods (pH < 4.0) such as fruit juices,
nectars, purees, pastes, concentrates, jams, jellies
May be stored at room temperature

Modes of applying
pasteurization
Pasteurization

/ cold filling

Food is (pasteurized) heated and then

cooled in heat exchangers
Product is cold-filled into container
eg milk, eggs, fruit juice
Refrigerated storage required
Fruit juices may be stored at room T if
preservative is used

Modes of applying
pasteurization
Pasteurization

of solid foods

In the case of film-wrapped hams, they

are immersed in hot water (~78C) for
several min. (Listeria monocytogenes)
In the case of raw eggs in shell, they are
immersed in hot water (54C x 45 min)
(5D log reduction of Salmonella)
Requires refrigerated storage

Pasteurization
Special cases of pasteurization (for
milk, fruit juices and beverages)
Batch or vat pasteurization

Original milk pasteurization method (63C

x 30 min). Batch operation heated in a vat
At present, it is used for very specific cases

High-temperature-short-time (HTST)

Applied to milk for continuous operation. A

better quality milk is obtained (72C x 15 s)

Pasteurization

Flash pasteurization

Applied to fruit juices and beverages (95100C x 3-15 s)

May not need refrigerated storage (if
preservative is used)

Ultrapasteurization

Designed for milk and cream for a longer

shelf life (138C x 2 s)
Refrigerated shelf life increases to 60 90
days

Milk Vat Pasteurizer (batch

operation)

Milk Vat Pasteurizer (batch

operation)

Plate Pasteurizer
(continuous operation)

Plate Pasteurizer
(continuous operation)

Tubular Pasteurizer
(continuous operation)

Tubular Pasteurizer
(continuous operation)

Tunnel pasteurizer
(continuous operation)

Commercial sterilization

Involves heating the food product so that any bacterial

spores of Clostridium botulinum present get
completely inactivated

Applied to low-acid canned food

A requirement by food safety authorities
More severe heating than pasteurization (Ts > 100C)
Heating by steam or pressurized water

In practice, processors are not only interested in

inactivating C.bot, but also more thermally resistant
spoilage microorganisms (Bacillus stearothermophilus)

This results in a more stringent commercial sterilization (more

than that required by food safety authority)

Modes of applying
commercial sterilization

After packaging (retort processing)

Traditional method of sterilization

Packaging: metal cans, glass jars, flexible retort pouches
Sterilization is performed in a retort
Final product can be stored at room T

Before packaging (aseptic processing)

Applied especially for liquid foods

The sterilization process is conducted in heat exchangers (138 150C) x 2 s. It is usually called UHT (ultra-high temperature) process
Filling/packaging is done at room T under sterile conditions (aseptic
packaging)
Final product can be stored at room T

Retort Processing

Thermal process (retort

processing)
Establishing

a thermal process for a specific food product

involves:
Defining the parameters of time and temperature of the
thermal treatment
The T is that of the retort heating medium (steam or
pressurized water)
The time starts counting when the retort attains the working T
(eg 121C) until the steam valve is shut off and the cooling
phase begins by letting the cooling water in
Other parameters:
Size and shape of container
T of the product entering the retort
Type of retort

Thermal process (retort

processing)
contEstablishing

a thermal process for a specific food

product involves:
The thermal process must be established by a thermal
processing authority by performing experimental studies using
the same commercial retort
Based on the required Fo
For every specific product
For every size, shape and type of container
Example: In order to obtain an Fo of 6 min, a thermal process
of 119C x 30 min must be attained
The Fo for obtaining a lethality of 12D for C. bot is 3.0 min
However, often an Fo > 3 min is used, because it is necessary
to reduce the population of heat resistant spoilage m.o.

Fo values used for some

commercial canning processes

Fo values used for some

commercial canning processes

Size and dimensions of

common cans

Can interior linings

Canning Operations

General Canning Flowchart

Filling
Is the addition of the product and liquids (brine, syrup,
etc) into the container
Solid products are usually filled manually by hand
Liquids or semiliquids are usually filled mechanically by
machine
Filling should not contaminate the can flange as it could
prevent the formation of a proper seam on closing
Usually, liquids are filled hot (hot-fill)
Aids in the generation of vacuum in the canned product
Contributes to the prevention of overpressure (P)
inside the container during the cooling stage of T.T.

Addition of Syrup/brine
Also considered part of filling operation
Liquid is added to cover the solid product inside the container to
facilitate heat transfer during the thermal treatment
This liquid is usually a brine, a syrup, a gravy or a sauce
If the product is to be acidified, then the acid is added to the
liquid
It is usually added hot (hot-filled)
An appropriate headspace should be considered
Allows product expansion during T.T.
Allows vacuum generation in final canned product (reduces [O2])
Amount of headspace
Jams and jellies:
Acid foods (to be pasteurized):
Low-acid foods (to be sterilized): 1 1

Preheating or Exhausting
The objective is to heat the product in the container up to a certain temperature and
to partially displace the air in the container with steam
Desired effect
Key to the generation of an appropriate vacuum level in the final canned product
(there are two other important methods for producing vacuum: steam flow closure
and vacuum chamber closure)
This results in a lower [O2] in the canned product which minimizes oxidation of
product and metal container
A lower overpressure is obtained inside the container during the cooling stage of T.T.
The vacuum is a safety indicator of container integrity
Higher T of cans entering retort, shorten retort processing time
The open container carrying the product is conveyed along the steam tunnel
(exhauster)
Tunnel T: 88 - 93C; t residence: 2 4 min
Product T: 80 85C
As soon as the product emerges from the tunnel, the can end is immediately placed
over can body for subsequent seaming

Exhauster

Closure of container
Hermetic closure of container is done immediately after
exhausting
For the closure of glass containers, capping can be done:
Manually or
Using pre-defined and constant torque capping machines
For the closure of metal containers, two-stage seaming
machines are used
The flange of the can body and the cover curl are
interlocked to form the double seam (two-stage seaming)
An experienced operator is required for a correct seaming
operation and to be able to visually verify that the seam
has been properly formed

Three-piece can

Three-piece can

Two-stage Seaming of a
Can: Components

Two-stage Seaming of a
Can: Operation

Double Seam Structure and

Dimensions

Can Seamers

Closing glass containers:

Type of thread

Sealing flexible retort

pouch

Loading of Retort with Baskets (for metal

and glass containers)

Loading of Retort : trays

for flexible packaging

Vertical Retort

Vertical Retort

Horizontal Retort

Heating-Cooling Cycle
during Retort Sterilization

Registration of processing
time and temperature

Daily Process Record Form

for Still Retorts

Sterilization: Retort
Operation
1.
2.
3.

4.

5.

6.

The retort is loaded with the baskets containing the containers

The lid of the retort is closed and secured (locked)
Venting: Steam is manually admitted into the retort with vent valves
widely open to allow purging of the air originally present. As soon as
steam flows out through the vents with full force, the vent valves are
closed.
Both the retort T and pressure steadily increase until the preestablished process T is reached: The time to reach this T is called
Come-up time (CUT)
Processing time: Is the period that starts as soon as the process T is
reached (measured with glass thermometer) until the steam valve is
closed and the cooling water is admitted (beginning of cooling stage)
Two cooling methods: with or without pressure cooling

a)Small cans (< 6 cm diam) & Ts < 116C (without compressed air)
b)Cans > 6 cm diam & Ts > 116C (with compressed air)

Cooling
It

is important to reduce the product T rapidly after the heating

stage
Down to 38C
This reduces the probability of growth of surviving thermophiles
Cooling is performed inside the retort by admitting cooling water
right after the steam valve is closed
Generally, cooling water and compressed air flow in
simultaneously to prevent the formation of a sudden vacuum
inside the retort, which would compromise the seals of the
container
In the case of glass jars, it is important to prevent a thermal
shock; thus, cooling has to be gradual
Cooling water has to be properly sanitized (eg with 5 ppm free
chlorine for 30 min) to eliminate any possibility of product
recontamination through the seals

Quality Control of Canned

Product
Searching

for defects through visual inspection of container

Metal containers: dents, rust, swelling
Glass containers: cracks, lid condition
Vacuum measurement in canned product with vacuum meter
Typical vacuum level: 10 20 in.Hg
The desired vacuum level will depend on product type or target market
Microscopic inspection of cut-through sections of can double-seam
Verify that pop-up safety button on jar lid is depressed
Verify that weights declared on label are met
Total weight
Net weight
Drained weight (for solid food in liquid)
Headspace measurement

Packaging Containers used

in Retort Processing

Metallic Containers used in

Retort Processing

Sterilizable Flexible Packaging

Retortable pouch

Features: retort pouch vs

metal can

Heat transfer rates: Retort

pouch vs metal can

UHT Thermal Treatment

and Aseptic Packaging

Aseptic Processing
It is a relatively
modern sterilization
technique, that
emerged as an
alternative to retort
processing
It involves two
stages:
Thermal treatment
(sterilization)
Aseptic packaging

Aseptically Processed
Products
Products

are sterilized prior to packaging,

then packaged under aseptic (sterile)
conditions in sterile container

Until

recently, only liquids were accepted for

processing by legislation. At present, liquids
with suspended small particles are also
allowed to be processed provided thermal
treatment studies have been previously
performed by thermal authority

Aseptically Processed
Products

Advantage over retort processed products:

Product is heated and cooled very rapidly thus

minimizing thermal damage (better retention of
nutrients and organoleptic properties)
Use of low-cost and light-weight packaging material
(paper, plastic and aluminum film) instead of metal cans
or glass jars
More energy efficient , as part of the process heat is
recovered
As a continuous-flow process, it requires fewer operators
Rapid heating and cooling is achieved with UHT
sterilizers (direct and/or indirect heat exchangers)

Operational Features of
Aseptic Processing System
Before running the product, the food contact surfaces in
equipment must be pre-sterilized with either steam or
hot water
The liquid is pumped at a fixed and constant flow rate
(positive displacement pump required) (the specified
residence time at the holding tube must be met)
The product is heated rapidly to a very high Ts (138 150C) (direct and indirect heating methods)
The holding tube allows the monitoring of the specified
T. The length of the tube and the flow rate determine
the residence time which should be equal or larger than
the specified time
The product is cooled rapidly from very high Ts to room
T (flash evaporation and indirect cooling method)

Time-Temperature Curves
of UHT & HTST Processing

Schematic Diagram of
Aseptic Processing System

Heating and Cooling

Heating
Indirect (heat exchanger)
Plate
Tubular
Scraped surface
Direct
Steam Injection
Steam Infusion
Cooling
Indirect (heat exchanger)
Direct (vacuum chamber) (flash cooling)

Holding Tube
characteristics
Tube should have an ascending slope: for
each foot in length
Tube should not be subject to any modifications
The inside surface of tube wall should be
smooth for easy cleaning
No heating should be applied to tube
Tube should be sheltered from air currents
Liquid evaporation should be prevented inside
tube
Inlet and outlet Ts of holding tube should be
monitored and recorded

UHT Sterilization and Aseptic

Packaging: Plate Heat Exchanger

UHT Sterilization: Tubular

Heat Exchanger

UHT Sterilization and Aseptic

Packaging: Steam Injection with
Plate Heat Exchanger

Aseptic Packaging: Form-FillSeal Retail (small) Package

Aseptic Packaging: Form-FillSeal Retail (small) Package

Composition of Tetrapak
Aseptic Carton

Aseptic Packaging Bag-inbox Bulk (large) Package

Aseptic Packaging Bag-in-box Bulk

(large) Package