|
Abstract
While many of the leading commercial applications
of microwave power to the food industry in the United States are no longer operative,
there are several new systems that are going strong. Foremost among these are
microwave donut proofing and frying which account for some fifteen or more
commercial systems; at least six commercial pasta drying systems; and at
least six commercial meat tempering systems. There are also smaller numbers
of operational chicken precookers and bacon cooking
systems, along with some other isolated applications. Although problems of
poor equipment reliability, improper projection of real economic gain, high
capital and operational costs, and developing technologies of conventional
heating systems have plagued the growth of industrial applications, the trend
may be reversing as many of these problems are overcome and higher labor costs force a new look at microwave solutions.
|