Food Applications

CTU’s and TCU’s are used to avoid further biological activity such as decay in food and medical products. The critical parameter during storage is temperature, but often humidity is also monitored for dry conditions.

Warehouse environments in the pharmaceutical, medical, and food industries may be subject to regulatory compliance, requiring validation and monitoring.

Temperature and humidity are the most common critical parameters, which cannot exceed certain limit values and need to be accurately documented.

Smokehouses are used for heat treatment and to add flavor, color, and aroma to various food products, including pork, beef, sausages, poultry, fish and cheese.

Chamber temperature, product temperature, relative humidity (RH%) and calculation of Po-values are critical parameters for smokehouse processing in both batch and continuous smokehouse systems.

Retort Sterilization in the food industry refers to any closed vessel or other equipment used for the thermal processing of foods. Typically, the sterilization temperatures vary from 110 to 135°C.

Both static and rotary steam/air retorts, and water immersion/cascade/spray retorts require temperature validation.

Continuous rotary cookers are used to heat, sterilize, and subsequently cool a range of canned goods such as fruit, vegetables, ready meals, soups, infant formulas, and dairy products. Temperature Distribution and Heat Penetration tests should be performed in each individual cooker/cooler and for every product and container.

Hydrostats are a still steam retort used in the food industry for the thermal processing of goods stored in cans, trays, bottles and pouches. Typically, products will be sterilized at around 121.1˚C, though this can fluctuate depending on tower height and the product. Temperature and pressure are critical parameters, as products must be depressurized afterwards.

UHT and HTST Pasteurization are highly regulated thermal processes that revolve around sterilizing liquid products (typically food) prior to packaging. The goal of the thermal process is to sterilize foods and beverages such as milk, juice, dressing and yogurt, while ensuring  that they keep their sensory appeal and become shelf-stable products.

Tunnel Pasteurizers are used in the food industry for heat treatment of products such as beer, soft drinks and acid preserves (fruits, acidified vegetables or pickles) etc. that are kept in closed bottles or cans. Precise water temperatures must be reached to gradually heat the product in the bottle or can to pasteurization temperature, as well as to cool it down afterwards.

Cold chain distribution is used in the food and pharmaceutical industries to prevent products decaying at higher temperatures during transport. The critical parameter during transport is temperature, but humidity is sometimes monitored for dry conditions.