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Mj Swain - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • effect of power output reduction of domestic Microwave Ovens after continuous intermittent use on food temperature after reheating
    Journal of Food Engineering, 2008
    Co-Authors: Mj Swain, S J James, M V L Swain
    Abstract:

    Abstract The domestic Microwave oven is now commonplace in the home and is often used to reheat chilled ready meals. Previous studies by the authors have demonstrated that the power output of such Ovens can drop significantly within the first few minutes of use. This study has demonstrated that this power output reduction can have a significant affect on the expected final food temperatures after heating. A reproducible procedure was used to carry out heating tests of simulated chilled ready meals in 16 different models of domestic Microwave Ovens. All of the test loads had lower minimum measured temperatures (mean of three replicates) after heating in the hot Ovens (Ovens that had been in use for 15 min prior to the heating test) compared to when they were heated for the same time in the cold Ovens (Ovens that had not been used for ⩾6 h). Minimum measured temperatures fell from a mean of 70.3 °C in the cold Ovens to mean of 61.3 °C (range 50.3–67.6 °C) in the hot Ovens. In 12 out of the 16 Ovens (75%) these reductions in minimum temperature were statistically significant ( P  ⩽ 0.05). There is an increased risk in terms of the potential for survival of bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes when reheating food products to these lower temperatures. It was evident that at the minimum temperatures attained in the food simulant test loads heated in all the hot Microwave Ovens, the heat treatment would be insufficient to produce a 10 6 reduction of L. monocytogenes even allowing for an acceptable standing time.

  • A test procedure to characterise the heating performance of domestic Microwave Ovens
    International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2007
    Co-Authors: Mj Swain, Adrien Spinassou, Maria Veronica Lyra Swain
    Abstract:

    Summary A test procedure has been developed and used to characterise the performance of domestic Microwave Ovens in relation to the heating of chilled ready meals. The procedure uses reproducible test loads, which simulate the heating and weight loss characteristics of a chilled ready meal under consumer use. The temperature distribution after heating from 5 °C to a defined minimum temperature of 70 °C is measured in the food simulant using a purpose designed multipoint thermocouple ‘hedgehog’ probe. The temperature, weight loss and heating time data from the test are entered into a spreadsheet analysis program, which provides a simple oven performance ‘score’ and/or comprehensive heating performance data.

  • effect of continuous intermittent use on the power output of domestic Microwave Ovens
    International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2006
    Co-Authors: Mj Swain, Stephanie Ferron, Andrea Isabel Pinto Coelho, Veronica M L Swain
    Abstract:

    Summary The power output of five recent domestic Microwave Ovens (on the market 2003/2004) was measured using a standard 1000 g water load during 30 min of continuous use. The power output of the Ovens declined significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in the first 5 min of use, ranging from a minimum of 7.0% to a maximum of 19.7%. Further but not always significant declines (P ≤ 0.05) were measured after 20 min of continuous use. No significant reductions were measured between 20 and 30 min. Overall, the mean reduction in power output after 30 min of continuous use was 17.3% for these five Ovens compared with 13.5% for five Ovens in a previous study. Based on trials carried out approximately a decade apart, there has not been any improvement in the performance of domestic Microwave Ovens in terms of the decline in power output after continuous or prolonged use. The authors believe that many users, including consumers, caterers and those using domestic Microwave Ovens for research purposes, would benefit from a greater awareness and understanding of how the rapid reduction in power output in the first 5–20 min of use is likely to affect the expected heating performance.

  • development of methodology for assessing the heating performance of domestic Microwave Ovens
    International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2002
    Co-Authors: C James, M V L Swain, S J James, Mj Swain
    Abstract:

    Summary There is a need for standard methods of testing domestic Microwave Ovens that relate to their reheating performance with chilled convenience meals. The investigations reported here have produced a simple procedure for comparing the three most important reheating characteristics of a domestic Microwave oven: its ‘true’ power; heating variability; and repeatability. The tests are relatively simple to do, and require only a few additional items of equipment to those that a laboratory performing existing output power tests would already possess. Three identical tests are required: one with a liquid test material, one with a solid and one with a combination of the two components. One additional stage is done with the liquid test material. The data produced can be reduced to three numbers, which are measures of the true power, variability and repeatability of the oven. A further simple analysis, which weights the relative importance of each factor to the consumer, would produce a single value for the oven's relative reheating performance. Ovens with unusual or extreme performance characteristics can therefore be identified easily.

Satoshi Kanazawa - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Veronica M L Swain - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • effect of continuous intermittent use on the power output of domestic Microwave Ovens
    International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2006
    Co-Authors: Mj Swain, Stephanie Ferron, Andrea Isabel Pinto Coelho, Veronica M L Swain
    Abstract:

    Summary The power output of five recent domestic Microwave Ovens (on the market 2003/2004) was measured using a standard 1000 g water load during 30 min of continuous use. The power output of the Ovens declined significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in the first 5 min of use, ranging from a minimum of 7.0% to a maximum of 19.7%. Further but not always significant declines (P ≤ 0.05) were measured after 20 min of continuous use. No significant reductions were measured between 20 and 30 min. Overall, the mean reduction in power output after 30 min of continuous use was 17.3% for these five Ovens compared with 13.5% for five Ovens in a previous study. Based on trials carried out approximately a decade apart, there has not been any improvement in the performance of domestic Microwave Ovens in terms of the decline in power output after continuous or prolonged use. The authors believe that many users, including consumers, caterers and those using domestic Microwave Ovens for research purposes, would benefit from a greater awareness and understanding of how the rapid reduction in power output in the first 5–20 min of use is likely to affect the expected heating performance.

M V L Swain - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • effect of power output reduction of domestic Microwave Ovens after continuous intermittent use on food temperature after reheating
    Journal of Food Engineering, 2008
    Co-Authors: Mj Swain, S J James, M V L Swain
    Abstract:

    Abstract The domestic Microwave oven is now commonplace in the home and is often used to reheat chilled ready meals. Previous studies by the authors have demonstrated that the power output of such Ovens can drop significantly within the first few minutes of use. This study has demonstrated that this power output reduction can have a significant affect on the expected final food temperatures after heating. A reproducible procedure was used to carry out heating tests of simulated chilled ready meals in 16 different models of domestic Microwave Ovens. All of the test loads had lower minimum measured temperatures (mean of three replicates) after heating in the hot Ovens (Ovens that had been in use for 15 min prior to the heating test) compared to when they were heated for the same time in the cold Ovens (Ovens that had not been used for ⩾6 h). Minimum measured temperatures fell from a mean of 70.3 °C in the cold Ovens to mean of 61.3 °C (range 50.3–67.6 °C) in the hot Ovens. In 12 out of the 16 Ovens (75%) these reductions in minimum temperature were statistically significant ( P  ⩽ 0.05). There is an increased risk in terms of the potential for survival of bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes when reheating food products to these lower temperatures. It was evident that at the minimum temperatures attained in the food simulant test loads heated in all the hot Microwave Ovens, the heat treatment would be insufficient to produce a 10 6 reduction of L. monocytogenes even allowing for an acceptable standing time.

  • development of methodology for assessing the heating performance of domestic Microwave Ovens
    International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2002
    Co-Authors: C James, M V L Swain, S J James, Mj Swain
    Abstract:

    Summary There is a need for standard methods of testing domestic Microwave Ovens that relate to their reheating performance with chilled convenience meals. The investigations reported here have produced a simple procedure for comparing the three most important reheating characteristics of a domestic Microwave oven: its ‘true’ power; heating variability; and repeatability. The tests are relatively simple to do, and require only a few additional items of equipment to those that a laboratory performing existing output power tests would already possess. Three identical tests are required: one with a liquid test material, one with a solid and one with a combination of the two components. One additional stage is done with the liquid test material. The data produced can be reduced to three numbers, which are measures of the true power, variability and repeatability of the oven. A further simple analysis, which weights the relative importance of each factor to the consumer, would produce a single value for the oven's relative reheating performance. Ovens with unusual or extreme performance characteristics can therefore be identified easily.

Marie Therese Von Buttlar - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.