Optimal arrangement and shape of sweetened cheese balls during canning: CFD study
摘要
This study employs computational fluid dynamics to assess the impact of shape and arrangement on Indian confectionery Rasgulla (Sweetened Cheese Ball: SCB) within a vertical can. The numerical model analyzes velocity, temperature, and lethality contours across various SCB configurations. An optimal arrangement enhances microbial inactivation at the slowest heating point (SHP). Capsule-shaped SCBs show lower lethality at the SHP compared to spherical ones, highlighting the role of shape in natural convection. Iso-lethality curves determine optimal processing time to preserve vitamin A and lysine quality. Iso-process time curves reveal that higher constant retort temperatures increase vitamin A and lysine degradation but improve microbial destruction. Overall, this research offers insights into optimizing SCB configuration for effective thermal treatment while maintaining nutritional quality.