• This series of modules covers applications to food processes that use the other three series, framework, modeling, and experiments. It is standalone. Our goal is to eventually build all of the modules at multiple levels, catering to different learner groups of food (or any) scientists (L1), engineers (L2), and researchers (L3). For now, we are focusing mostly on the L2 level.
• Prerequisites: Depends on the module. The modules are stand-alone and do not require formal courses as prerequisites.
  • At the L1 level, it requires a science background. It assumes that the learner has either completed or is enrolled in an undergraduate course in food processing or engineering in a food science department.
  • At the L2 level, it assumes one has a basic understanding of fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer, and solid mechanics, as would be typical in an undergraduate engineering curriculum.
  • At the L3 level (none complete yet), it assumes an engineering researcher interested in modeling and simulation.
• Recommended sequence: None. They are independent. Processes such as sterilization that involve only heating are simpler and can be a starting point, if intending to cover a series of modules.
• Learning Outcomes: At the completion of the module, the learner should be able to
  • Explain the physics of a complex food process by applying the principles of fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer, deformation (shrinkage/expansion), and material transformation, for its understanding and optimization
  • Recommend critical product and process parameters toward designing a process of a desired quality.
  • Extrapolate this mechanistic understanding to related processes

The following two modules are about Puffing. Understand the physics of puffing. Quantify the effects of critical product and process parameters toward designing a puffing process for a desired quality. Extrapolate to other puffing processes

• Understand the physics of puffing. Quantify the effects of critical product and process parameters toward designing a puffing process for a desired quality. Extrapolate to other puffing processes

• Prerequisites: We are going to re-visit a few concepts in physics that you may have learned before. If you are familiar with porous medium and flow through it, mass diffusion, heat conduction, glass transition and volume changes in foods, 
• Recommended sequence: Introduction>Puffing L1
• Learning outcomes:
  • • How food puffs
      • How heating and generation of vapor and pressure development inside the food results in size increase.
    • How the knowledge of the physics of puffing can be used to make a better product
      • Narrow down the conditions to obtain maximum size increase.
      • How to control the quality of the puffed product.
      • How does the puffing method affect the final size?
• Approximate duration: 80 min

• Understand the physics of puffing. Quantify the effects of critical product and process parameters toward designing a puffing process for a desired quality. Extrapolate to other puffing processes
• Prerequisites: This module requires an understanding of heat transfer, mass transfer, fluid flow, and solid mechanics. If you are unfamiliar with any of these topics, it is strongly recommended that you go through the following modules first
  • Transport in Porous Media
  • Deformation in Porous Media
• Recommended sequence: Introduction>Puffing L1>Puffing L2
• Learning outcomes:
  • Explain puffing by applying the principles of fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer, deformation (shrinkage/expansion), and material transformation.
  • Recommend critical product and process parameters toward designing a puffing process of a desired quality.
  • Extrapolate mechanistic understanding of simple puffing to other puffing processes.
• Approximate duration: 25 min

• Engineering understanding and optimization of pasteurization and sterilization, including
  • Design objective,
  • Spatial and time variations in canned foods and in continuous flow,
  • Ways to improve heating rate and uniformity

• This module
  • Includes complete simulation app that provides all spatial and time variations.
  • Quantifies bacterial death inside a can
  • Explains coldest spot and the influence of can size and geometry on temperature and lethality,
  • Explains how time-temperature combine to reach same lethality.
  • Explains the trade-offs between quality and safety

• This module elaborates on the understanding and optimization of the physics of drying foods by applying (from Theory) lumped, single phase, and multiphase porous media model to drying

• This module
  • Explains microwave drying by applying the principles (from Theory section) to transport, mechanical deformation and material transformations.
  • Quantifies the effect of critical product and process parameters

• This module elaborates on the physics of freezing and its optimization. It
  • Explains freezing using two approaches– pseudo steady-state and apparent specific heat.
  • Quantifies the effects of critical product and process parameters.
  • Extrapolates to more complex freezing.

• This module explains the physics of freeze drying, including microwave freeze drying.

• This module explains the physics of deep frying and its optimization using a range of mechanistic approaches.