title: Evaluation of the integrated time-temperature effect in thermal processing of foods.
abstract: In this review, current methods used to evaluate the integrated impact of time and temperature upon preserving a food product by a heat treatment are considered. After identifying the basic premise any preservation scheme shall meet, the central role of a feasible description for the heat activation kinetics of microorganisms, their spores, and other quality attributes are stressed. Common concepts to quantify a thermal process are presented. Shortcomings of the prevalent evaluation methods are highlighted and attention is given to the development, restrictions, and possibilities of time-temperature-integrators as "new" evaluation tools to measure the impact of a "classical" in-pack heat treatment and more modern heating techniques such as continuous processing of solid/liquid mixtures on foods.
authors.affiliation: Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven, Faculty of Agricultural and Applied Biological Sciences.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hendrickx
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maesmans
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Cordt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Noronha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Loey
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tobback
mesh_terms: D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007700:Kinetics; D008433:Mathematics; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors