Fundamental Study on Uniform Sterilization of Foods by Using Microwave Heating

Abstract

Distribution of absorption power inside the heated material in the microwave oven is analyzed using parallel FDTD method. In the analysis, the microwave oven is modeled on an industrial one and the model solution (starchy solution and salted starchy solution) simulated food as the heated material. And also, temperature distribution of the model solution in the microwave oven was measured using iodinated solution and thermography. As a result, trends of calculated absorption power distribution and measured temperature distribution agreed well, and it is confirmed that parallel FDTD method for these problems is valid. Moreover, it is understood that middle of cup is high temperature and edge area also becomes high-temperature with the salted solution. We could get the tendency of the absorption power distribution of the model solution and could provide the fundamental data of the uniform appertization.