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Temperature Changes and Power Consumption During Radio Frequency Tempering of Beef Lean/Fat Formulations

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Abstract

A numerical analysis of three block-shaped beef blends (lean, fat, and 50:50 lean/fat mixture), tempered using radio-frequency (RF) heating is presented. Post tempering temperature distribution indicated a minor temperature gradient within the blocks, suggesting a relatively uniform temperature distribution. The heating rate of the three blends decreased as tempering time progressed with the highest rates being observed in the leanest blends. Power absorption (P abs) for the lean and 50:50 mixture increased as tempering time increased but the high fat blend showed an initial increase before plateauing and then declining slightly. While intrinsic power efficiency was found to be satisfactory, overall power efficiency, evaluated on the basis of consumed power, was 50%, though it is important to emphasize the system was not fully optimized. Leaner blends and higher power treatments produced the most efficient RF tempering process. This data is of potential value to meat industry in the context of rapid defrosting of meat products.

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Abbreviations

C p :

specific heat (kJ kg−1 °C−1)

E rms :

root mean square of the electric field (V m−1)

f :

frequency (Hz)

IP efficiency :

intrinsic power efficiency (%)

k :

thermal conductivity (W m−1 °C−1)

MnT :

minimum temperature (°C)

MxT :

maximum temperature (°C)

NP s :

nominal power set (W)

P abs :

average absorbed power (W)

P efficiency :

power efficiency (%)

P s :

power supplied to the RF generator (W)

Q GEN :

power generated by electric field distribution per unit of volume (W m−3)

t :

time (s)

T :

sample temperature (°C)

ΔT :

temperature difference between MxT and MnT (°C)

ΔT/Δt :

heating rate (°C/s)

V sample :

sample volume (m3)

\(\overline{x} T\) :

average temperature (°C)

ε 0 :

free space permittivity (F m−1)

ε′:

relative dielectric constant (−)

ε″:

relative dielectric loss factor (−)

ρ :

density (kg m−3)

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Acknowledgment

The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Non-Commissioned Food Institutional Research Measure, directed by the Irish Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, Agriculture and Food Science Centre, College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Karim W. Farag, James G. Lyng, Desmond J. Morgan & Denis A. Cronin

  2. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica e Alimentare, Università degli Studi di Salerno, via Ponte Don Melillo, 84084, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy

    Francesco Marra

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  1. Karim W. Farag
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  2. Francesco Marra
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  3. James G. Lyng
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  4. Desmond J. Morgan
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  5. Denis A. Cronin
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Correspondence to Francesco Marra.

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Farag, K.W., Marra, F., Lyng, J.G. et al. Temperature Changes and Power Consumption During Radio Frequency Tempering of Beef Lean/Fat Formulations. Food Bioprocess Technol 3, 732–740 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-008-0131-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-008-0131-5

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