The food industry has utilized automated control systems for over aquarter of a century. However, the past decade has seen an increasein the use of more sophisticated software-driven, on-line controlsystems, especially in thermal processing unit operations. As thesesoftware-driven control systems have become more complex, the needto validate their operation has become more important. In additionto validating new control systems, some food companies haveundertaken the more difficult task of validating legacy controlsystems that have been operating for a number of years on retortsor aseptic systems.
Thermal Processing: Control and Automation presents anoverview of various facets of thermal processing and packaging fromindustry, academic, and government representatives. The bookcontains information that will be valuable not only to a personinterested in understanding the fundamental aspects of thermalprocessing (eg graduate students), but also to those involved indesigning the processes (eg process specialists based in foodmanufacturing) and those who are involved in process filing withUSDA or FDA. The book focuses on technical aspects, both from athermal processing standpoint and from an automation and processcontrol standpoint. Coverage includes established technologies suchas retorting as well as emerging technologies such as continuousflow microwave processing. The book addresses both the theoreticaland applied aspects of thermal processing, concluding withspeculations on future trends and directions.