Ohmic Heating: Food Engineering

OHMIC HEATING
Presented by :
Yogesh Vekariya
FOOD ENGINEERING
OUTLINES
o Introduction
o Principle
o Parts of ohmic heating
o Mechanism
o Advantage
o Application
o Disadvantage
o Suggestion for improvements
o Case study
INTRODUCTION
 Ohmic heating, a thermal electrical heating
method, is also termed as resistance heating.
 Ohmic heating is direct heating method where

food is in contact with the electrodes.
 The concept of ohmic heating is quite simple.

The passage of electric current through an
electrically conductive food material obeys
Ohm’s law (V = IR); and heat is generated due to
the electrical resistance of the food.
 Almost all electric power is transformed into
heat.
 It is possible to heat the product containing

large particles upto 2.5 cm in size which
would be damaged in conventional
equipment, to sterilization temperature of
upto 140°C in less than 90 sec.
 It is regarded as Green process.

PRINCIPLE
Ohmic heating works on the principle of Ohm’s

law of electricity.
V=I*R
Where V is the voltage (volts)

I is the amperage (amperes)
R is the resistance (ohms)
MAIN PARTS OF OHMIC HEATING SYSTEM
Contains mainly 3 parts:

1. Power supply
2. Heater assembly
3. Control panel
OHMIC HEATING PROCESS DIAGRAM
MECHANISM
Food product (k)
Conducts electricity
Collision of molecules
Momentum transfer to these

molecules
Increase in kinetic energy thereby

heating product
The interaction between the local field strength and local
electrical conductivity will govern the local heat
generation according to
Q = E²k = λJ²
Where Q is heat generation rate per unit volume (W/m³)

E is the electric field strength (V/cm)
k is the electrical conductivity (S/m)
λ is the resistivity (ohm-meter)
J is the current density (A/m²)
The actual heating rate for the substance can
then be calculated from the equation:
dT /dt = Q/ ρC
Where T is temperature in degree Celsius

t is the time in second
ρ is the density (kg/m³)
C is the specific heat capacity(kJ/kg-C)
ρC is the volumetric heat capacity
FACTORS INFLUENCING HEAT GENERATION RATE
 Electrical field strength

- can be adjusted by changing voltage.
 Electrical conductivity
- practically possible only between the range of (0.01 -

10 S/m) and it works optimally in the range (0.1 - 5
S/m).
 Temperature
- depend on the electrical conductivity.

ADVANTAGES
 Temperature required for UHT processing can

be achieved.
 No problem of surface fouling or over heating of
the product.
 Useful in pre-heating products before canning.
 Energy conversion efficiencies are very high.
 Suitable for continuous processing.
 Lower capital investment as compared to
microwave heating and conventional heating.
 Large-scale process can be carried out in heavy-
duty ohmic cookers or batch ohmic heaters.
 It has a high solid-loading capacity.
 Causes less nutrient loss.
 It provides rapid, uniform treatment of liquid
and solid phases with minimal heat damage.
 Less maintenance cost.
 Eco-friendly.
APPLICATIONS
.
BLANCHING EXTRACTION
DEHYDRATION
FERMENTATION EVAPORATION
 The ohmic heating system allows for the production
of new, high-added-value, shelf-stable products with
a quality previously unattainable with alternative
sterilization techniques, especially for particulate
foods.
 Ohmic methods offer a way of processing particulate

food at the rate of HTST processes, but without the
limitation of conventional HTST on heat transfer to
particulates.
MICROBIAL INACTIVATION DURING OHMIC HEATING
Microbial
inactivation
Non-thermal Thermal
Chemical
Mechanical
(Formation of free Kill bacillus
(disruption of cell subtilis spores
radicals and
membrane)
metals ions )
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHANGES
 Nutritional effect
Larger particle
(smaller surface to
volume ratio)
Shorter time
Reduction in
solute loss
 Protein Coagulation / Denaturation
- High molecular weight proteins are more
susceptible to heating.
- Coagulate protein and partially purify
proteolytic enzymes in fish.
- Mild ohmic heating (55°C for 3 min at 90
volt) is the efficient step for concentrating
the proteinase.
SPECIFIC FOOD PRODUCTS
•Complex food
•Muscle fiber •No change
•Uniform in water •Effective
heating soluble pasteurization
protein with no additional
Meat protein
Fish destruction
Milk
•Juice extraction
•Juice
preservation
Blanching
Fruits
•Pasteurize egg
Vegeta •Reduce fouling
bles
Egg
ECONOMICS OF OHMIC PROCESSING
Economically attractive &

sustainable
Practical benefits
> 90% energy efficiency

DISADVANTAGES
o Lack of generalized information.

o Requested adjustment according to the
conductivity of dairy products.
o Narrow frequency band.
o Difficult to monitor and control.
o Complex coupling between temperature and
electrical field distribution.
o Limited to DC current.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT
 Develope predictive, determinable and reliable models
of ohmic heating.
 Reliable feedback control to adjust the supply power
according to the conductivity change of the dairy liquid.
 Developing real time-temperature monitoring
techniques for locating cold-spots and overheated
regions during ohmic heating.
 Developing adequate safety and quality-assurance
protocols in order to commercialization of ohmic
heating technology.
CASE STUDY
Tomato peeling by ohmic heating with

lye-salt combinations:
Effects of operational parameters
on peeling time and skin diffusivity
The Ohio State University, Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological

Engineering, 590 Woody Hayes Drive, Columbus,
OH 43210, USA
CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Objective
 Materials and methods
 Results and discussion
 Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
LYE
 Base (NaOH/KOH).
 Provides smooth surface of peeled tomato.
 Generate environmental problem.
 Difficult and costly to treat.

OBJECTIVE
1. To determine the effects of field strength and

salt-lye composition on the time required for
peeling, and
2. To determine the effect of electric field and

temperature on the diffusivity of sodium
hydroxide through tomato peel.
MATERIALS AND METHOD
1). Experimental setup

 Power supply- 60 Hz , 0-1000 volt
 Ohmic heater- L= 0.201 m, D= 0.051 m
 Titanium electrode- gap= 6.2 cm
 Thermocouple
 Data logger
2. Experimental procedure
Receive local tomato of same
variety
Heating starts at 25±1°C/ record

parameters
Power supply off when peel

cracked
Tomato was peeled by washing

in water
2.1. Effect of electric field strength and type of fluid medium
NaCl / NaOH
Mixture(%w/v) Field strength (V/m)
0.01/0.01 _ _ _ _ _ 3230 4840 6450
0.01/0.05 _ _ _ _ _ 3230 4840 5650
0.01/0.1 _ _ _ 1610 2420 3230 _ _
0.01/0.5 _ _ 1210 1610 _ _ _ _
0.01/1.0 645 806 1130 1450 _ _ _ _
0.03/0.01 _ _ _ _ _ 3230 4840 _
NaCl / KOH
mixture
0.01/0.5 _ 806 1210 1610 2020 _ _ _
0.01/1.0 _ 806 1130 1290 _ _ _ _
Table: Experimental treatments for studying effects of electric field strength, and
concentrations of NaCl/NaOH and NaCl/KOH mixtures on tomato peeling.
2.2. Diffusion analysis during tomato lye and ohmic peeling
Peel preparation Check cell leakage/ Kept in diffusivity cell

(t= 0.02 cm, d=1.8cm) Kept in water bath (2 reservior : 1250cm³)
Continuously stir Pre-assigned temp. (50º Pour 950 cm³ pre-

solution & 65ºC) is recorded heated 7% NaOH and
0.01% NaCl .
Withdraw 5 ml of NaCl Continue it until Diffusivity is measured

at every 1 minute diffusivity rate gets by a software FLUENT
steady
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Effects of electric field strength and concentrations of media NaCl/NaOH mixture
Relationships between the total amounts of NaOH diffusing through the tomato skin
(Q) and time (t) during ohmic and control treatments
(At 50ºC)
(At 65ºC)
Diffusivity values of NaOH diffusing through the tomato skin over time during
ohmic and control treatments
(At 50ºC)
(At 65ºC)
CONCLUSION
 Ohmic tomato peeling treatments of 0.01/0.5% NaCl/NaOH at
1610 V/m and 0.01/1.0% NaCl/NaOH at 1450 V/m were the
conditions that required the shortest time for cracking.
 For NaCl/KOH mixtures, 0.01/0.5% NaCl/KOH at 2020 V/m
and 0.01/1.0% NaCl/KOH at 1450 V/m required the shortest
time for cracking.
 Following an initial period, diffusivities for lye peeling with
ohmic heating were greater than those without ohmic heating
at both 50 and 65 C.
 The electric field enhances the diffusion of NaOH through the
tomato skin during the peeling process.
REFERENCE
 Nagasri, Pisit Wongas & Sastry, Sudhir.K., (2016). “Tomato
peeling by ohmic heating with lye-salt combinations: Effects of
operational parameters on peeling time and skin diffusivity.”
Journal of Food Engineering. 186: 10-16.
 Andrew Proctor, 2011. “Alternatives to Conventional Food
Processing”. Royal Society of Chemistry. 307-334.
Thank you

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OHMIC HEATING

 Ohmic heating is direct heating method where

 The concept of ohmic heating is quite simple.

 It is possible to heat the product containing

 It is regarded as Green process.

Ohmic heating works on the principle of Ohm’s

Where V is the voltage (volts)

Contains mainly 3 parts:

Food product (k)

Momentum transfer to these

Increase in kinetic energy thereby

Where Q is heat generation rate per unit volume (W/m³)

Where T is temperature in degree Celsius

 Electrical field strength

- practically possible only between the range of (0.01 -

- depend on the electrical conductivity.

 Temperature required for UHT processing can

 Ohmic methods offer a way of processing particulate

Economically attractive &

> 90% energy efficiency

o Lack of generalized information.

Tomato peeling by ohmic heating with

The Ohio State University, Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological

 Materials and methods

 Results and discussion

 Generate environmental problem.

 Difficult and costly to treat.

1. To determine the effects of field strength and

2. To determine the effect of electric field and

1). Experimental setup

 Titanium electrode- gap= 6.2 cm

Heating starts at 25±1°C/ record

Power supply off when peel

Tomato was peeled by washing

Peel preparation Check cell leakage/ Kept in diffusivity cell

Continuously stir Pre-assigned temp. (50º Pour 950 cm³ pre-

Withdraw 5 ml of NaCl Continue it until Diffusivity is measured

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