Infrared processing equipment for the food industry

Infrared (IR) heating can be regarded as a relatively new heating method that can be used for fast and efficient heat transfer. In this chapter, different types of IR emitters and IR heating methods, processing equipment, and their applications in the food industry are discussed. These applications include but are not limited to blanching, thawing, drying, cooking, baking, and roasting. IR heating has high thermal energy delivery efficiency that leads to faster heating and shorter processing time, which in turn leads to lower energy costs that are of great importance to the food industry as well as those who have concerns about preserving the environment. IR equipment is easy to control and has a fast response time. IR heating in combination with various conventional and novel processing methods can also improve product quality and reduce the processing time. Several researchers have studied such applications and we have tried to summarize them in this chapter.