This is the second edition of Holdsworth and Simpson's highly practical
work on a subject of growing importance in this age of convenience
foods. As before, it discusses the physical and engineering aspects of
the thermal processing of packaged foods, and examines the methods which
have been used to establish the time and temperature of processes
suitable to achieve adequate sterilization or pasteurization of the
packaged food. However, new material includes the increased use of new
packaging materials, including retortable pouches and the use of
containers made from other plastic composite materials, as well as the
application of newer processing methods which use heat transfer media
such a hot water, air/steam and steam/water, which are necessary for the
newer forms of packaging material. Unlike other texts on thermal
processing, which cover very adequately the technology of the subject,
the unique emphasis of this text is on processing engineering and its
relation to the safety of processed foods products.