Application of retort in food industry
Canning technology is particularly common in the use of sterilization methods. Harmful microorganisms in canned foods are completely eliminated by heating to a high temperature of 121°C, canning technology has demonstrated its high efficiency in eliminating botulinum spores in particular, which may produce deadly botulinum toxins.
In addition, food or canned food sterilizers, as efficient tools for sterilizing non-acidic foods (pH>4.6), play an important role in ensuring food safety. During the sterilization process, we strictly control the temperature inside the food or canned packaging to ensure that it is maintained within the appropriate range of 100°C to 147°C. At the same time, we accurately set and execute the corresponding heating, constant temperature and cooling time according to the characteristics of different products to ensure that the processing effect of each batch of processed products reaches the best state, thereby fully verifying the reliability and effectiveness of the sterilization process.
Pasteurization is also widely used in addition to heat treatment technology, although its sterilization effect is slightly inferior to that of high-temperature food sterilization, pasteurization is still used as an indispensable sterilization method. Because pasteurization eliminates potential pathogenic microorganisms and reduces the risk of food spoilage by using moderate heat treatment.
Compared with foods that have been sterilized at high temperatures, foods that have been pasteurIf the ends of processed food or cans are slightly dented, it is usually due to the vacuum created inside when the seal is sealed. However, if there are bulges, it may indicate that the quality of the food or can has deteriorated.ized may be slightly better in terms of sensory quality and nutritional characteristics.
During the sterilization process, the location in the food or can where the temperature rises the slowest (cold spot) must be adequately heat treated to ensure the sterilization effect. However, areas farther away from the cold spot may be over-treated and affect the overall product quality ( over-sterilization). In addition, nutrient loss may occur during food or can processing, especially heat-sensitive vitamins, but vitamins A, D and β-carotene are relatively resistant to heat treatment, while vitamin B1 is more sensitive to heat treatment.
Sterilization plays a vital role in the production of preserved foods and ready-to-eat meals from a commercial application perspective. By eliminating harmful substances such as active microorganisms, spores, enzymes and viruses, sterilization can significantly reduce the risk of food contamination and the spread of infectious diseases, thereby ensuring the health and safety of consumers.
