Mathematical modeling of continuous microwave heating of surimi paste

Abstract

In this study, a systematic analysis of the electromagnetic-thermal coupling effect of surimi was performed to develop a novel continuous processing method. A numerical model was established to analyze the heating effect and to predict the gel properties, and the accuracy of the model was verified under different flow rates. The results indicated that the combination of power inputs significantly affected the heating performance of surimi. Moreover, the coefficient of variation of the temperature profile at the outlet first increased and then decreased with the increase in the power input from E-plane (P E ). However, a higher P E led to worse temperature control of the surimi near the ports, which was mainly affected by the power density and should be considered because of the high risk of tube fouling. In addition, the effect of the microwave-assisted pre-gel effect can be further improved by adjusting the flow rate of the surimi according to the thermal efficiency. • A novel method for surimi preheating is proposed. • Gel strength is predicted via a numerical model of this system. • Tubular microwave heating can realize pre-gel and extrusion of surimi. • Tubular microwave heating is faster and greener than traditional methods. • The pre-gelling strength reached 274.02 g cm at the optimal condition.