Modification of a Grain Moisture Conditioner into a Vacuum Steam Pasteurizer

Eliminating microbes in low-moisture foods (LMFs) is challenging because this requires the preservation of their raw quality during pasteurization. Vacuum steam pasteurization (VSP) has been shown to be effective in reducing microbes while maintaining food quality. These studies were conducted at a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marlon Galad, Sulaymon Eshkabilov, Ewumbua Monono
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-12-01
Series:Designs
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2411-9660/8/1/1
_version_ 1797298524155543552
author Marlon Galad
Sulaymon Eshkabilov
Ewumbua Monono
author_facet Marlon Galad
Sulaymon Eshkabilov
Ewumbua Monono
author_sort Marlon Galad
collection DOAJ
description Eliminating microbes in low-moisture foods (LMFs) is challenging because this requires the preservation of their raw quality during pasteurization. Vacuum steam pasteurization (VSP) has been shown to be effective in reducing microbes while maintaining food quality. These studies were conducted at a laboratory scale where issues such as steam distribution, penetration, and condensation are not a concern, but in larger samples, these are of primary concern. Hence, this study repurposes a pilot-scale grain moisture conditioner (GMC) into a VSP system with the aim of replicating the lab-scale conditions in larger-scale applications. The modification entailed a series of design alterations, conducting a structural analysis of the conditioning chamber, creating a vacuum environment, ensuring uniform steam distribution, and designing and adding a preheater and a cooling system. Performance tests confirmed that the adapted system replicates the VSP’s lab-scale functionality. The results demonstrated that the VSP system can preheat to beyond 40 °C and achieve an absolute pressure of 11.7 kPa at 85 °C with a 344.7 Pa pressure increase per minute. Furthermore, steam distribution inside the chamber showed no significant variations, and rapid steam evacuation and chamber cooling could be performed simultaneously. The success of these modifications will be used in future experiments.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T22:36:05Z
format Article
id doaj.art-ebc12f6c5de347ed8b1c7d60dc6d7a20
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2411-9660
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T22:36:05Z
publishDate 2023-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Designs
spelling doaj.art-ebc12f6c5de347ed8b1c7d60dc6d7a202024-02-23T15:13:35ZengMDPI AGDesigns2411-96602023-12-0181110.3390/designs8010001Modification of a Grain Moisture Conditioner into a Vacuum Steam PasteurizerMarlon Galad0Sulaymon Eshkabilov1Ewumbua Monono2Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USADepartment of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USADepartment of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108, USAEliminating microbes in low-moisture foods (LMFs) is challenging because this requires the preservation of their raw quality during pasteurization. Vacuum steam pasteurization (VSP) has been shown to be effective in reducing microbes while maintaining food quality. These studies were conducted at a laboratory scale where issues such as steam distribution, penetration, and condensation are not a concern, but in larger samples, these are of primary concern. Hence, this study repurposes a pilot-scale grain moisture conditioner (GMC) into a VSP system with the aim of replicating the lab-scale conditions in larger-scale applications. The modification entailed a series of design alterations, conducting a structural analysis of the conditioning chamber, creating a vacuum environment, ensuring uniform steam distribution, and designing and adding a preheater and a cooling system. Performance tests confirmed that the adapted system replicates the VSP’s lab-scale functionality. The results demonstrated that the VSP system can preheat to beyond 40 °C and achieve an absolute pressure of 11.7 kPa at 85 °C with a 344.7 Pa pressure increase per minute. Furthermore, steam distribution inside the chamber showed no significant variations, and rapid steam evacuation and chamber cooling could be performed simultaneously. The success of these modifications will be used in future experiments.https://www.mdpi.com/2411-9660/8/1/1low-moisture foodspreservationprocess design
spellingShingle Marlon Galad
Sulaymon Eshkabilov
Ewumbua Monono
Modification of a Grain Moisture Conditioner into a Vacuum Steam Pasteurizer
Designs
low-moisture foods
preservation
process design
title Modification of a Grain Moisture Conditioner into a Vacuum Steam Pasteurizer
title_full Modification of a Grain Moisture Conditioner into a Vacuum Steam Pasteurizer
title_fullStr Modification of a Grain Moisture Conditioner into a Vacuum Steam Pasteurizer
title_full_unstemmed Modification of a Grain Moisture Conditioner into a Vacuum Steam Pasteurizer
title_short Modification of a Grain Moisture Conditioner into a Vacuum Steam Pasteurizer
title_sort modification of a grain moisture conditioner into a vacuum steam pasteurizer
topic low-moisture foods
preservation
process design
url https://www.mdpi.com/2411-9660/8/1/1
work_keys_str_mv AT marlongalad modificationofagrainmoistureconditionerintoavacuumsteampasteurizer
AT sulaymoneshkabilov modificationofagrainmoistureconditionerintoavacuumsteampasteurizer
AT ewumbuamonono modificationofagrainmoistureconditionerintoavacuumsteampasteurizer