What are the benefits of using microwave to sterilize food

Nowadays, with the increasing demand for food safety, food sterilization has become an unavoidable problem for every food manufacturer. In the era of coexistence of various sterilization technologies, microwave sterilization is becoming more and more popular among food manufacturers because of its unique advantages of high efficiency, fast speed and energy saving. This article will introduce the advantages of using microwave to sterilize food. It is convenient for us to choose from various food sterilization methods.

P>1, short time, fast speed

P>Conventional thermal drying sterilization transfers heat from the surface of the object to the interior through heat conduction, convection or radiation. In this way, food sterilization often takes a long time to achieve the required dryness and sterilization temperature within the object. The medium consists of polar and non-polar molecules. Under the action of electromagnetic field, these polar molecules change from random distribution to polar alignment according to electric field. Under the action of high frequency electromagnetic field, these orientations change continuously according to the frequency of alternating electromagnetic field. This process causes the movement of molecules and the friction between them, thus generating heat. At this time, the electric field of alternating electric field can be transformed into heat energy in the medium, which makes the temperature of the medium rise continuously. Therefore, microwave heating is caused by the loss of electric field energy of the medium material itself. Therefore, the microwave heating treatment time is greatly shortened, under a certain power density intensity, generally only tens of seconds, minutes can achieve satisfactory results.

2. Low temperature drying sterilization can keep nutrient composition

P>microwave has double sterilization effects of rapid heating and non-thermal effect. Compared with conventional thermal drying and sterilization, the required drying and sterilization effects can be obtained at lower temperature and shorter time. Generally, the sterilization temperature of food is 65-70 degree C, 75-80 degree C or 103-121 degree C. The sterilization time is 3-8 minutes, and it can retain more nutritional ingredients and flavors such as color, aroma, taste and shape.

P>3, energy saving

P>microwave power conversion efficiency, generally more than 70%. Microwave is used to sterilize food directly. The heating box itself is not heated, so there is no additional heat loss. Therefore, it can save energy and electricity, generally saving 30-50%.

4, uniform and thorough

conventional thermal drying and food sterilization start from the surface of the material, and then transfer to the interior of the material through heat conduction. There is a temperature difference between inside and outside of the material, and the consistency of drying and sterilizing effect between inside and outside is poor. In order to maintain the flavor and shorten the treatment time, the drying and bactericidal effects are often affected by insufficient internal temperature. Increasing the treatment temperature can improve this phenomenon, however, it will reduce the quality of the surface such as color, fragrance, taste and shape. Microwave has penetration performance, surface and internal simultaneous action, can ensure that the internal and external temperature together to meet the required value, so drying, sterilization uniform, thorough.

5, easy to control, easy to realize automated production

Microwave food drying, food sterilization treatment equipment is simple to operate, easy to control, no thermal inertia, can be processed according to different food process specifications, reduce production operators, reduce production costs. Compared with conventional sterilization, microwave equipment does not need boilers, pipeline systems, coal yards and transportation vehicles, as long as it has the basic conditions of water and electricity, it has no special requirements for factory buildings, less investment and quick results.

7, improving working conditions, saving occupied area

Microwave equipment has no high temperature, helpless heat, no heat itself and no thermal radiation. It can greatly improve the working conditions, and the structure of the equipment is compact and the area of the workshop is saved.