Application of Induction Heating in Food Processing and Cooking

Induction heating is an electromagnetic heating technology that has several advantages such as high safety, scalability, and high energy efficiency. It has been applied for a long time in metal processing, medical applications, and cooking. However, the application of this technology in food processing industry is still in its early stages. The objectives of this article were to review the basics of induction heating technology and the factors affecting its performance and to assess the application status of this technology in food processing. The research needs and future perspectives of this technology in food processing are also presented. Although several patents on using the induction heating to process food materials are available, there is still a need to generate more scientific data on the design, performance, and energy efficiency of the induction heating technology to be applied in different unit operations, such as drying, pasteurization, sterilization, and roasting, in food processing. It is needed to optimize different design and operational parameters, such as applied current frequency, type of equipment material, equipment size and configuration, and coil configurations. The information on the effect of the induction heating on sensory and nutritional quality of different food materials is lack. Research is also needed to compare the efficiency of the induction heating and other heating technologies, such as infrared, microwave, and ohmic heating, for food processing applications.