Real‐Time lethality Evaluation During the Flame Sterilization of Canned Foods

Abstract

A pilot-scale flame sterilizer was interfaced to a microcomputer for real-time thermal process evaluation of individual cans. The computerized system used a photodetector system to synchronize data acquisition at predetermined monitoring sites. Infrared sensors were used to measure can temperatures. Also, a method to measure can surface temperature was developed for infrared sensor calibrations. Foil thermocouples were found to be the most accurate and reliable for surface temperature measurements. However, a thin gauge wire thermocouple attached to the inside of the can end surface was a more practical and economical method for sensor calibration.