Measurement and Control in Food Processing

The industrial world consumes millions of kilos of processed food per day. Consistency of taste and texture, standards of raw materials, adherence to health codes, and uniform weights, are established industry specifications. Failure to meet any one of these can result in tons of food destroyed and billions of dollars lost. By the end of the 20th century the growing reliance on computers had shifted food quality and safety activities from human inspection to automated, statistically driven monitoring systems. Measurement and Control in Food Processing is designed to raise awareness of the current techniques of computerized measurement and process control, aid in the design of instruments and control schemes, explain the applicability of these tools to enhance quality and productivity, and educate students preparing to enter the food industry. Beginning with an illustrated introduction, followed by a detailed background in basic principles the author lays a solid foundation for understanding the role of transducers and controllers, demonstrating the need for current practices with specific problems from his experience in the tea industry. Divided into five major chapters, the book covers the most recent developments and applications in measurement techniques, and non-traditional methods such as electronic nose, biosensors, and fuzzy logic control. Addressing a major issue of today, the author investigates microcomputer-based monitoring by discussing the devices, standards, procedures, and suitable examples for process-computer interaction. Bridging the gap between the food-processing engineer who may not know how to design a controller unit and the instrumentation engineer who may not understand the complex flavor components involved, Measurement and Control in Food Processing ensures that together they can consistently make a decent cup of tea.