ARS | Publication request: CONTINUOUS MICROWAVE Procession OF PEANUT BEVERAGES

Submitted to: Journal of Food Processing and Preservation Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 29, 2008
Publication Date: March 15, 2008
Citation: Sabliov, C.M., Boldor, D., Coronel, P., Sanders, T.H. Continuous microwave procession of peanut beverages. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation Research vol. 32.

Interpretive Summary: Sterilization of food commodities is a critical issue in processing. Microwave heating may be an alternative to conventional Ultra High Temperature System (UHT) processing methodology. Peanut Punch (Nestle, Trinidad and Tobago Ltd.) and Jamaican Irish Moss Peanut Drink (distributed by Eve Sales Co., Bronx, NY) were found to have characteristics conducive to fast microwave heating. The short time required to reach 130°C and the uniformity of the temperature distribution indicated that microwave heating could be used as a sterilization step in a UHT process for peanut based beverages. Adaptation of this methodology will require additional studies on the microbiological and chemical changes of the products before continuous microwave heating can be implemented as an alternative sterilization step to conventional UHT processes.

Technical Abstract: The feasibility of sterilization of peanut beverages by continuous microwave heating as an alternative to conventional Ultra High Temperature System (UHT) processing was studied. Dielectric properties of two products, Peanut Punch (Nestle, Trinidad and Tobago Ltd.) and Jamaican Irish Moss Peanut Drink (distributed by Eve Sales Co., Bronx, NY) were measured. The products had similar dielectric properties. Values for the dielectric constant (average of 60) and dielectric loss (average of 23) indicated that the two products were good candidates for fast microwave heating. The products were processed in a 5 kW focused microwave unit, at two different flow rates, 1 and 2 l/min. The short time required to reach 130°C and the uniformity of the temperature distribution indicated that microwave heating could be used as a sterilization step in a UHT process for peanut based beverages. Further studies need to be conducted on microbiological and chemical changes of the product before continuous microwave heating can be implemented as an alternative sterilization step to conventional UHT processes.