Chapter 4: Heating and Cooling in Food Processing

Thermal processing of foods is a huge topic that is worthy of the numerous textbooks and scientific papers already devoted to it. However, the average small-scale processor needs to master only a small portion of this information to be able to do their job in an informed manner that will produce a safe, high quality end-product. In Chapter 4, the reader is provided with general information on heating and cooling. The concepts of changes of state, latent heats, and specific heats are introduced. Within this chapter, there is an explanation about steam tables and their usage, which can be “skipped” by anyone not having need of such information. Detailed sample calculations walk the reader through how to solve problems pertaining to heat calculations. Particular attention is given to heat balances through practice problems with fully developed solutions.