OVERVIEW OF CURRENT TRENDS IN THE MODELING OF PROCESSES OCCURRING IN THE PROCESSING OF FOOD PRODUCTS

Abstract

The article provides an overview of modern principles and technologies for modeling processes occurring during the preparation and processing of food products, during which volume changes and deformation occur. Such phenomena are the result of complex and dynamic relationships between the composition and structure of foods and driving forces determined by processes and operating conditions. The key role as a plasticizer is played by water, which strongly affects the state of amorphous materials through vitrification on their mechanical properties. Therefore, it is important to improve understanding of these complex phenomena and develop useful forecasting tools. For this purpose, various modeling approaches have been applied in the field of food engineering. The paper examines empirical and physical models, as well as various strain drivers, to identify common bottlenecks and problems in food processing applications.