Getting the right recipe for heating dairy products
Heat is fundamental to the food and drink industry. From cooking and drying to other treatments such as pasteurization, heat is widely used in all but the most basic food manufacturing and processing situations, in sectors as varied as dairy, fruit and vegetable processing, meat, prepared foods, brewing, and dietary supplements. Matt Hale, International Sales & Marketing Director at HRS Heat Exchangers, looks at some of the considerations to keep in mind to ensure you select the right heating solution for your food or drink process.
As you would expect, this demand for heating (and cooling) food and drink requires a large amount of energy. The USDA Economic Research Service* estimated that in 2002 food processing in the United States accounted for some 2.75 quadrillion Btu (806 TWh) of energy, an increase in energy use by this sector of 8% per year since 1997. While there are many energy uses in food processing, this figure includes ovens, boilers and space heating, as well as processes such as drying, sterilization and concentration.