Thermal processing of food using methods such as pasteurisation and sterilisation helps in extending the shelf-life of food and minimises the chances for microbiological contamination.

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Food processors and manufacturers use various food processing equipment such as rotary dryers and heat exchangers for the thermal processing of food.

Discover leading suppliers of thermal processing and other food processing equipment

Just Food has listed some of the leading suppliers of food processing equipment such as aseptic fruit preparation units, aseptic milk units, reactors, heat exchangers, fluid bed dryers, and food processing cooling systems, based on its intel, insights and decades-long experience in the food processing sector.

The list includes suppliers of high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurisation equipment, fluid bed coolers, steam pasteurisation equipment, steam sterilising systems, autoclaves, and ultra-violet (UV) based sterilisation systems.

The information contained within the download document is designed for production managers and supervisors, food processing plant heads, food processing consultants, food safety inspectors and supervisors, food technologists, new product developers and quality control executives.

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The download contains detailed information on the suppliers and their product lines, alongside contact details to aid your purchasing decision.

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Methods used for thermal processing of food

Blanching, pasteurisation, sterilisation, and cooking are some of the common methods used for the thermal processing of food. Blanching includes the treatment of fruits and vegetables using hot water or steam to reduce microbial contamination on the surface and is used as a pre-treatment for freezing and canning processes.

Pasteurisation is used to destroy all disease-causing organisms and reduce the number of bacteria to extend the shelf life of a food product. The various methods of pasteurisation within consumer goods include batch holding method, HTST, and ultra-high temperature treatment.

Sterilisation includes the application of high temperatures to food to remove spores, contaminants and microorganisms while cooking is used to alter the texture and composition of food and reduce microbial production.

Food processing equipment used for thermal processing

The type of food processing equipment used depends on the processing method. Some of the food processing equipment used include:

  • Steam blanchers
  • Batch fluidised-bed blanchers
  • Hot-water blanchers
  • Plate heat exchangers
  • Steam tunnels
  • Swept surface heat exchangers (HEs) or open boiling pans
  • Autoclaves
  • Batch or continuous retorts
  • Rotary sterilisers
  • Hydrostatic sterilisers, and
  • Rotary dryers

Thermal processing of food also includes the use of food processing cooling systems to stop the cooking process and reduce the temperature for packaging or further processing of a food product. Some of the commonly used food processing cooling systems are:

  • Pneumatic coolers
  • Fluidised bed coolers
  • Rotary coolers
  • Contact column coolers, and
  • Ambient air coolers