For quantifying the structural effects during inactivation, thermal characterization is required, but foods are often complex solids or structured liquids whose thermal behavior can be challenging to measure or model. The often low thermal conductivity of foods limits heat transfer, and increasing the heating and cooling rates is important in order to maximize the product quality. But there are various processing technologies available, and the challenge lies in finding the optimal process for each product.
It is important to understand the criteria for choosing thermal process technology. The presentation will give examples of inactivation of Listeria in fish based model products using shaka retorting surface pasteurization and microwave heating, and discuss relevant aspects related to each technology.