Microwave heating as Green Process in food industry

Since the first articles on the use of microwaves in organic synthesis were published in 1986, this technology has a bright future ahead of it. It enables us to meet the new expectations of industrialists dictated by environmental regulations (such as REACH), and is a key element in the concept of sustainable process engineering.

Today, microwave processes are increasingly being used in the food industry, where there is a strong demand for natural plant extracts to impart taste, color and certain nutritional qualities, as an alternative to conventional processes. Indeed, this technique offers many specific features compared to conventional heating techniques. One of the most important is the effect of volume heating, which enables more efficient and selective heating, with temperature rises of the order of a few seconds and virtually instantaneous energy transfer, making it highly flexible in use.

In this article, to give you a better understanding of this process, we first review the mechanisms by which microwaves act on matter. The various processes using microwaves in the food industry are then developed, illustrated with examples of applications. A final section is devoted to the regulations and safety aspects of microwave use. The concepts of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) and hazard analysis and operability (HAZOP) are developed to guarantee food safety and the management of manufacturing, personal and environmental risks.