Influence of rotational speed on the statistical variability of heat penetration parameters and on the non-uniformity of lethality in retort processing Original Research Article

In a case study on white beans, the effect of rotation on the statistical variability of heat penetration parameters and on the non-uniformity of lethality in industrial-scale retort processing was investigated. In addition, the influence of process time on the non-uniformity of lethality was evaluated. No clear relation between the non-uniformity of the heating parameters and the rotational speed was observed. Rotation seemed to influence process lethality variability throughout the retort by its effect on non-uniformity in heating characteristics and in retort temperature. Absolute non-uniformity (i.e. standard deviation) increased with increasing holding time, whereas relative non-uniformity (i.e. coefficient of variation) decreased as holding time increases.