ABSTRACT
Efforts to preserve foodstuffs belong of old to one of man’s utmost concern in the matter of food supply. Among the unit processes for food preservation, thermal sterilization still takes a leading role worldwide due in particular to the problem-free, long-term storage possibilities for foodstuffs treated in this way. For many foodstuffs an optimum quality is achieved during sterilization when they are treated with the highest temperature for a short time. Compared with in-can sterilization the continuous heating of food products in combination with subsequent aseptic packaging shows distinct advantages. Thermic preservation of food products almost exclusively results from heating processes transferring the heat from outside to the product. The use of microwave equipment in pasteurizing and sterilizing is economical if it leads to a short heating period at high temperatures and as a result to a significant improvement in quality.
