COMPUTER-AIDED MICROBIAL SAFETY DESIGN OF FOOD PROCESSES

To reduce the time required for product development, to avoid expensiv e experimental tests, and to quantify safety risks for fresh products and the consequence of processing there is a growing interest in compu ter aided food process design. This paper discusses the application of hybrid object-oriented and rule-based expert system technology to rep resent the data and knowledge of microbial experts and food engineers. Finite element models for heat transfer calculation routines, microbi al growth and inactivation models and texture kinetics are combined wi th food composition data, thermophysical properties, process steps and expert knowledge on type and quantity of microbial contamination. A p rototype system has been developed to evaluate changes in food composi tion, process steps and process parameters on microbiological safety a nd textural quality of foods.