Infra‐red Heating and Food Processing

Highlights the lack of detailed published information on the use of infra‐red heating in food processing in the UK. Provides a number of answers based on conclusions from a recent seminar. These are a reluctance of users to reveal information to their competitors of where it is used, perceived technical problems (some infra‐red heaters contain glass) and fears on energy costs which restrict its wider use and lack of knowledge of the technology by food processing plant manufacturers. Discusses the attributes of infra‐red heating and gives some examples of its use (not all in the UK) for food processing.