The finite-element method in food processing: A review

The finite-element method has been successfully used to model several food-processing operations. Much of the activity to date has focused on heating and cooling, freezing and thawing, and heat and mass transfer, including drying and mechanical damage. Most of the studies have been confined to two-dimensional and/or axisymmetric regions undergoing transient response. A limited number of research results have been reported for three-dimensional and/or coupled heat, moisture, and stress analysis in food products. This review indicates that there still exists considerable potential for the use of the finite-element method in food-processing. Some other areas where the pay-off can be significant include baking, extrusion, aseptic processing, microwave heating, and optimization of food quality in terms of texture, nutrient retention, and microbial degradation during thermal processing.