Microwave Processing Heats Up

Microwaves are a common appliance in many households. In the United States, microwave heating is the third most popular domestic heating method for foods (Sloan 2013). Microwave heating is also a commercial food processing technology that has been applied for cooking, drying, and tempering foods. Its use in pasteur-ization, as well as for sterilization of foods, is more limited. This column will review various microwave heating applications in the food industry, as well as the basic principles o…