KINETIC PARAMETER-ESTIMATION IN CONDUCTION HEATING FOODS SUBJECTED TODYNAMIC THERMAL TREATMENTS

The purpose of this work was to develop a means for determining produc t and process specific thermal kinetic parameters of constituents in f oods that do not heat uniformly. The concept of the method of Paired E quivalent Isothermal Exposures (PEIE) was developed for such products. The ability of the PEIE to define Arrhenius parameters from simulated retort experiments was demonstrated. The PEIE was applied to survival data from retort experiments of canned pea puree inoculated with Baci llus stearothermophilus spores (NCA 1518). Mean activation energy and reaction rate constant (at 121.1 degrees C) of the spores in retort pr ocessed canned pea puree were E-a = 250 (+/-15) kJ/mol and k(121.1 deg rees C) = 0.26 (0.23 < k(121.1 degrees C) < 0.30) min(-1), respectivel y.