THERMAL PROCESS EVALUATION OF RETORTABLE

POUCHES FILLED WITH CONDUCTION HEATED FOOD

MARCEL0 CRISTIANINI' and P L A R RODIUGUES MASSAGUER

Universidade Estadual de Campinas

Faculdade de Engenhana de Alimentos
CP 6121. CEP 13087-970
Campinas - SP,Brazil
Accepted for Publication July 2, 2002

ABSTRACT

Two models using the finite element technique (FE) and another using an
analytical solution to solve the 3-dimensional heat conduction equation for a
jinite plate were built. FE models were built considering the actual pouch shape
and retort temperature profile. Chi-square and regression lines were obtained
for each set of temperatures generated by the models against experimental data.
A mass average sterilizing value of 9.9 min was estimated when a critical point
sterilizing value was at 8.7 min using the 3-Dimensional FE model. Close
agreement was found among the three models for heating phase. Using actual
retort temperature profile made FE models more accurate than the one using
analytical solution, especially for cooling phase.

INTRODUCTION

Thermal processing of foods in cans and bottles has been extensively studied
and mathematical models have been proposed to evaluate and optimize those
processes (Teixeira et al. 1969a, b; Stumbo 1973). However, the market for
ready-to-eat foods packed in retortable pouches has become important in the last
decades, especially in Europe and Japan; and studies to optimize this process
have also become necessary. The increasing interest of the food processor on
retortable pouches relies on its convenience for use, good retention of quality
factors and a potential for reducing energy costs.

' Corresponding author. Prof. Dr.Marcel0 Cristianini, UNICAMP - State University of Campinas.
Faculty of Food Engineering, CP 6121, CEP 13081-970, Campinas-SP, Brazil. TEL: 55-19-
37884008; FAX: 55 19 32893617; E-mail: olecranz@fea.unicamp.br

Journal of Food Process Engineering 25 (2002) 395-405. All Rights Reserved.

"Copyright 2002 by Food & Nutrition Press, Inc., Tnunbull, Connecn'cut. 395
396 M. CRISTIANINI and P. RODRIGUES MASSAGUER

Several works have been proposed to evaluate thermal processing of

retortable pouches containingconduction-heatedfoods. Most of them considered
the pouches as rectangular containers. However, due to its flexible nature,
during heat processing the pouch assumes its familiar pillow shape. Assuming
a parallelepiped configuration may lead to overestimation of the thermal
processing, resulting in unnecessary degradation of quality attributes of the food
being processed.
Tandon and Bhowmik (1986) developed a modified finite difference
technique (Zdimensional) for evaluating thermal processing of a institutionalsize
pouch considering its actual shape. Castillo et al. (1980) developed a model to
predict the retention of nutrients of foods packed in retortable pouch under
sterilizing processing conditions whose dimensions were approximated to a
rectangular parallelepiped. McGinnis (1986) built a three dimensional model
using a finite difference analysis to predict transient conduction heat transfer in
foods packed in retortable pouches.
The finite element technique has became a very useful tool for modeling
thermal processes of irregular shaped foods since many of the assumptions
regarding container shape, food thermal properties and boundary conditions may
be eliminated by its use. Several applications of this technique have been
published (Naveh ef 02. 1983; Sastry er at. 1985).
The objective of this study was to compare three mathematical models to
predict temperature profile of conduction-heatedfood packed in institutional size
pouch during heat sterilization. Two models were built (2-dimensional and 3-
dimensional) using the finite element technique and another using an analytical
solution to solve the 3-dimensional heat conduction equation for a finite plate.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Product
Tuna (Kafswonw pelamis) was acquired already preprocessed (clean,
eviscerated, steam cooked for 1 h at 105C and grated) at fish processor located
160 km from the laboratory. The product was kept frozen until needed.
Institutional size pouches (Toyo Seikan Kaisha Ltd.) were filled with 425 g
of tuna and 75 g of brine (2% NaCl w/v) and vacuum sealed to achieve a
maximum of 1 mL residual air. The thermal properties of the product were
estimated using the mathematical models as described by Cristianini (1998) and
showed on Table 1. After each process the water content of the product was
determined in order to calculate the physical properties to be used in the
simulations.
 RETORTABLE POUCHES THERMAL PROCESSING 397

TABLE 1.
EXPERIMENTAL MODELS FOR PROPERTIES OF THE PRODUCT
(85% w/w TUNA and 15% BRINE 2% wlv)

PROPERTY MODEL R2

Density (K&m3) p = 5.6315W + 626.37 0.9871

Specific heat (WkgOC) c, = 0.0239W + 1.7485 0.9899

I

T h d conductivity (W/m°C) k = 0.0098W - 0.23 0.9841

Pouch Processing Apparatus

A horizontal retort (ALLPAX Products Inc., USA) fully automated was
adapted for pouch processing. Stainless steel perforated trays (48% open area)
were built to hold the pouches during heat processing. Seven blocks of trays
containing five pouches each were stacked on a retort car rack leaving a water
flow channel of 4 cm between each tray. Water was heated to the desired
temperature in a storage vessel before being pumped to the working vessel
where the pouches were processed. A centrifugal pump was able to recirculate
water in the working vessel at a flow rate of approximately 250 L/min. A
previous study was carried out to evaluate the temperature distributioninside the
retort since it was adapted for pouch processing (Carvalho e? af. 1996).
Maximum temperature differences inside the retort were within 0.4C. Another
study was conducted to estimate the apparent convective heat transfer coeffi-
cient, which was found to be 299, 2W/mT (Cristianini and Massaguer 1998).

The Models
Three models were built: two of them using finite element technique (2-
dimensional (2DFE) and 3-dimensional 3DFE) through the software package
ANSYS5.2 (Swanson Analysis Systems, Inc.) considering the actual pouch shape
and retort temperature profile. The actual shape of the pouch (190 x 180 x 19
mm) filled with the product was obtained by cutting its two cross-sections and
outlining them on graph paper. The coordinates were used as input data for the
software to generate the finite element grids. In order to avoid excessive
computing time the two models were considered axisymmetric as shown in Fig.
1. The 2-dimensional grid was built using 95 quadrilateral 8-noded elements
398 M. CIUSTIANINI and P. RODRIGUES MASSAGUER

(324 nodes) and the 3-dimensional using 882 tetrahedral 10-noded elements
( 1762 nodes).

FIG. 1. 2-DIMENSIONAL AND 3-DIMENSIONAL FINITE ELEMENT GRIDS

The third model was an analytical solution model (ASM). A program using
Pascal programming language was written to predict the temperature profile at
the geometric center of the pouch using the solutions for temperature ratios (U)
under transient conduction for a finite plate with uniform initial temperature as
described by Arpaci (1966):

u = U,.U,.U,
and

a= x, y and z;
Where U, is the dimensionless temperature ratio, a is the distance from the slab
center, d is half thickness of the slab, Fo is the Fourier number, 8, is the nth
positive root of /3 tan /3 = Ei and Ei is the Biot number.
 RETORTABLE POUCHES THERMAL PROCESSING 399

Data Acquisition
Nine runs were carried out with the retort completely full. Each run had two
test pouches fitted with a Teflon thermocouple support with three thermocouples
type T 30 gauge (Omega Engineering, Stamford, CT). One thermocouple
junction was held at the pouch geometric center. The other two were set at
0.475 mm and at 0.713 mm from the center (Fig. 2). The thermocouple wires
exited the pouch through a hole in the pouch wall near one of the edges, which
was sealed with silicon glue. Two thermocouples were fitted outside close to the
top and bottom of each pouch test in order to register the temperature of the
surrounding water. The average temperature of those thermocouples was used
as retort temperature profile in the finite element models.
Temperature data acquisition during thermal process was taken every 30 s
using a data logger (Doric 245 A Beckman Ind.) connected to a computer.

FIG. 2. SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE THERMOCOUPLE SUPPORT

Thermal Processing
The car rack was fitted into the retort working tank and it was initially filled
with water at ambient temperature (126C) and the pouches left to equalize
temperature. When difference in center temperature of the pouches was within
0.3C, the water was drained and hot water (121C, 20 PSI air overriding) from
the storage tank was pumped into the working tank. The heating process was
designed to achieve a Fo of 7 min at the end of the heating time, cold water was
allowed to enter the working tank pushing the hot water back to the storage
tank. Cool water was circulated until the product center temperature reached
35C.The process was fully controlled by a specific software (Control View -
Allen Bradley).

Critical Point and Mass Average Sterilizing Values

The critical point sterilizing value and mass average sterilizing value were
estimated using the temperature profile generated by the 3-dimensional finite
400 M.CRISTIANINI and P. RODRIGUES MASSAGUER

element model. For the critical point, the sterilizing value was estimated using
the temperature profile at the node located at the pouch geometrical center. A
procedure analogous to the one described by Teixeira er al. (1969b) was used
to estimate the mass average sterilizing value using the average elements
temperatures generated also by the 3-dimensiod finite element model. The
calculation was carried out as follows: (1) the temperature at each element was
calculated (and considered constant at the 1 min time interval) as the average of
the nodes forming a specific element; (2)this temperature was used to calculate
the thermal death rate (D) over the interval at each element; (3) the concentra-
tion of microorganisms remaining at the end of each time interval was calculated
using the following equation:

where C(t+Ac) and C(')represent the concentration of microorganisms at time

(t+At) e t, respectively; (4) the calculated concentration became the initial
concentration for the next time interval; (5) at the end of process the number of
survivorswas estimated by multiplying the resultingconcentrationby the volume
of the respective element; (6) the total number of survivors at the pouch was
obtained by summing together the number in each element; (7)the mass average
sterilizing value (F,,,) was calculated using the following equation:

pm = Dr l o g p p ) (3)

where Dr is the decimal reduction time at the reference temperature and N and
Noare the total number of microorganisms in the pouch at the end and beginning
of process, respectively. A D = 0, 21 min and z = 1OC were used for
calculations. Reference temperature used was 121.1C.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Figure 3 shows pouch temperature profdes obtained experimentally and
those estimated by the three models (analytical solution, finite element 2D and
3D). The temperature profile at the pouch slowest heating point was estimated
using the three models for nine processes including come up (4.5 min), holding
time (24.5min) and cooling time (20 min). In order to compare the models
statistically, first, a linear regression (with the regression line forced through the
origin) was obtained with the temperatures estimated by the models against the
 RETORTABLE POUCHES THERMAL PROCESSING 401

experimental ones. Using these criteria, the closer the slope of one curve gets
to 1 and the higher the Rz,the better the model would describe the process. A
chi-square test was also used to compare the three models using Eq. (4). as
follows:

Where Oi are the observed temperature values (thermocouples) and Eiare the
estimated by the model.

130 ~ i
110.

,
I

I
1
1

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 SO
Tima (rnln)
-.--FlniteEkrmsnl2D
k u m i c s l Solullon
Flnb € h e n ( 30 ~ ~ ~ - ‘ ~ % ~ l C 3 l U ~ 1 1
FIG.3. POUCH CENTER TEMPERATURE PROFILES

Table 2 shows chi-square (x’) values, slopes and R2for heating and cooling
phases, as they were analyzed separately. For both, heating and cooling phases,
the R2were higher than 0.9 and slope values close to 1 indicating that all models
were very predictive. The 3-dimensional finite element model had the highest
R2,slope closest to 1 and smaller chi-square value indicating that this model was
the best to describe the process. For the cooling phase, the analytical solution
model (ASM)had a much higher chi-square value. That can be explained due
to the fact that the model consider constaut temperature during cooling phase
which is not true in this type of retort where there is a mix of cooling and
heating medium at the beginning of cooling phase. The finite element models
used actual retort temperature making them more accurate.
402 M. CRISTIA"I aad P. RODRIGUES MASSAGUER

TABLE 2.
CHI-SQUARE e).
REGRESSION SLOPS AND R* OBTAINED FROM THE REGRESSION
LINES OF ESTIMATED AGAINST EXPERIMENTAL TEMPERATURES FOR THE
ANALYTICAL SOLUTION MODEL (ASM) AND FOR THE 2-DIMENSIONAL (2DFE) AND
3-DIMENSIONAL (3DPE) FINITE ELEMENT MODELS

MODEL X' Slop R' X' Slop R2

ASM 23.01 1.0039 0.9997 159.00 0.9748 0.9965

2DFE 19.96 1.0030 0.9997 20.23 0.9856 0.9996

3DFE 13.90 0.9979 0.9998 19.80 0.9867 0.9995

A sterilizing value of 7.9 min was calculated by the general method at the
coldest point using the experimental temperatures at the end of the heating
phase. The values estimated by the models were 7.2, 8.1 and 8.7 min, for the
ASM,2DFE and 3DFE models, respectively. Considering heating and cooling
periods together, the estimated values were 10.2, 9.1, 10.9 and 11.9 min, for
the experimental temperatures and ASM,2DFE and 3DFEmodels. respectively.
The correspondingmass average sterilizing values estimated by the 3DFE model
were 9.9 min and 12.0 min at the end of the heating and cooling phases,
respectively.
Figure 4 shows an accumulation of the average sterilizing value (FA during
the process. Due to its thin profde it was possible to cool the pouch rapidly
avoiding excessive heating. The average sterilizing value was found to be
constant after 4 min of cooling.
Figure 5 shows a histogram of the sterilizing values estimated for each
element at the end of the heating phase. The results show that 50% of the
elements had sterilizing values from 10 to 15 min. On the other hand, there
were some locations within the pouch where the product was more exposed to
high temperatures resulting in sterilizing values as high as 35 min. This kind of
analysis can be helpful for optimization of thermal processes simulatingdifferent
processing conditions in order the achieve the most uniform sterilizing value
distribution possible.
 RETORTABLE POUCHES THERMAL PROCESSING 403

FIG.4. DISTRIBUTION OF THE AVERAGE STERILIZING VALUE (Fm)

DURING PROCESSING TIME

FIG. 5. HISTOGRAM OF THE STERILIZING VALUES (Fp) ESTIMATED FOR EACH

ELEMENT AT THE END OF THE HEATING PHASE
404 M. CRISTIANINI and P. RODRIGUES MASSAGUER

CONCLUSION

Close agreement was found between the three models for the heating phase.
Using actual retort temperature profile made the finite element models more
accurate than the third one that used analytical solutions for the heat transfer
equations, especially for cooling phase in this immersion water process where
there is a mixture of cold and hot water at the beginning of cooling phase.
Although 3D and 2D finite element models performed very closely for
predicting temperatures at the pouch center, the 3D model showed to be useful
to predict temperatures at any location within the product and also to predict
microbial destruction (mass average sterilizing value).
The finite element technique has confirmed to be a useful tool to model heat
transfer of irregular shaped products and it was possible to develop a procedure
to analyze the sterilizing value on each element and also an average sterilizing
value for the whole product.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CAPES - Funda~bCoordenqb de Aperfeipunento de Pessoal de Nivel

Superior, Brazil

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