Can you give us some examples?
Baking is an excellent example of how this approach can be applied. When baking bread in a domestic oven, it is possible to describe the changes that take place in the bread dough taking into account changes in the amount of water, the volume, the surface coloring (attributable to the Maillard reaction and caramelization of sugars), the formation of the internal and surface structures, and the development of the aromatic elements. Some of these things arise from the interaction of several phenomena. The boundary conditions for the baking can be given according to exchange coefficients that simplify the calculations or can be assessed directly with a fluid dynamic simulation of the oven, with the benefit of achieving a better approximation of reality while the calculations are more difficult. Studies published by our group have presented this approach to describe some of these terms. There was a recent article in the Journal of Food Engineering “Bread baking modeling: Coupling heat transfer and weight loss by the introduction of an explicit vaporization term” where a mathematical model was used for heat and water transfer during bread baking in a home oven. Another application example is that of roasting meats. Again there is a variation in the water content, color, volume, texture even though it takes place with different mechanisms (for example the loss of water is due in part to the contraction of the protein matrix during heating). Our group is researching the simulation of the variations of the color of meat, also pH functions, with consequences on the state of cooking and microbial deactivation. Similar approaches are also under development in other parts of the world for other unit operations in the area of food (for example refrigeration and sterilization as related to preserving/storage and the development of harmful elements) and other fields (for example the processing of biomass).
What are the advantages of this technique in the food industry?
Without a doubt, modelling cannot replace testing. The models that are developed must be based on solid theories and validated with test data in order to guarantee that they are realistic. This often requires the collaboration of many disciplines (information science, engineering, food technology, chemistry, etc.) in order to build a consolidated model that can be used to partially replace the tests during process or product development, with the resulting benefit of saving raw materials (the ethical aspect) and money (the financial aspect). A process can be optimized by using modern algorithms in the models for minimization/maximization based on established objectives (economies of production, optimal mechanical performance, minimization of harmful elements, reduced energy impact, low environmental impact) so as to allow for better planning of future tests. Furthermore, identifying quality markers and analyzing their dynamics can provide objective answers for changes in quality.
Are there any applications in companies?
For example, Travaglini S.p.A. that is involved in designing systems for meat processing and cured meat production is using fluid dynamic analysis to perfect their systems. Whirlpool EMEA, on the other hand, is analyzing the interaction of fluid dynamics, electromagnetism and other phenomena in order to optimize their various appliances.
[box title=”The “Giulio Natta” DCMIC Department” color=”#ff731f”]
The “Giulio Natta” DCMIC Department
The Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering at the Politecnico University of Milan, was named in honor of the Nobel Prize winner Giulio Natta. The department also includes a Biological Engineering section. In the field of food, the DCMIC is involved with mathematical models to study food processes and unit operations, synthesis of food aromas, the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to food packaging design, formation and evolution of pectin gel, and proteomics as related to food safety.
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