What are the benefits of infrared ovens in food processing?

This is a very broad question. In the food industry, many possibilities remain to be explored.

Here are some of the best-known applications:

-         Infrared Browning, gratinating, roasting

Infrared heat is very effective at triggering the Maillard reaction (a physical phenomenon that browns fats and sugars).

-          On dairy products such as creams or sugary coatings, or on prepared products (gratins, pizzas, cakes, etc.), infrared allows for surface browning without heating the product's mass, which can then be immediately resealed or frozen.

-          On protein products (meat, fish), infrared heat allows for surface browning before cooking, which can then be carried out sous vide, thus eliminating any external contamination.

-         Pasteurization before or after packaging by infrared furnace system

-          Infrared heating systems are highly effective at reducing contamination between cooking and packaging by rapidly raising the product’s surface temperature to +75°C. Notably, coloring processes also contribute to surface pasteurization.

-          Infrared emitters excel at pasteurizing products through their packaging. After packaging, passing the product through an infrared tunnel—often referred to as a “cold oven”—is an ideal solution for significantly extending the shelf life of food products.

-          The process involves exposing the product to infrared radiation to heat it, while cold air is simultaneously blown over the packaging to prevent damage. However, this method requires packaging that is as transparent as possible, with minimal printing. Additionally, the product itself must be able to tolerate temperatures of up to 75°C.

-         Infrared Toasting

 Toasting and roasting are often confusing.

-          Roasting:

 Roasting is a precise process involving defined heating times to achieve a specific flavor, as well as specific temperatures and holding times for optimal roasting. Applying infrared radiation does not, therefore, offer any time or quality gains. Under certain conditions, however, infrared can lead to energy savings. This is then referred to as medium to long-wave infrared.

-          Toasting:

Infrared toasting of seeds, peanuts (walnuts, hazelnuts), and wood chips can be carried out in shorter timeframes than conventional methods. Infrared toasting is performed on vibrating benches and cascading conveyors, in thin layers, maximizing the product surface area.

-         Infrared heat cooking

Infrared radiation is generally not considered effective for cooking food because it delivers a lot of energy to the surface but does not penetrate the food. The immediate consequence is a tendency to burn (or brown) the surface of products in very short times, but not to achieve thorough cooking without infrared ovens that are too long to be worthwhile.

This is true for both electric and gas infrared furnaces systems.

However, some products do not require thorough cooking or are thin enough that infrared heating systems become very advantageous. The best-known example is cooking crepes and other filo pastries. Gas IR heaters are most often used to heat cooking rollers and radiate heat onto the top surface, allowing for very rapid cooking.

Chaudelec Industrial Systems has developed several electric crepe cooking systems as part of its decarbonization efforts. These innovative systems, whether they use roller, conveyor or infrared carousel technology, provide a cost-effective solution thanks to very limited electricity consumption, making this energy competitive despite the lower cost of gas.

-         Infrared Drying

 Medium infrared spectrum is ideal for drying products such as cheese coatings, grains, and pasta. Chaudelec Systèmes Industriels' electric or gas-powered medium infrared drying tunnels optimize the use of radiation and hot air to offer an economical solution.

-         Infrared Defrosting

Infrared ovens and tunnels accelerate the defrosting of vegetables, meats, and other products.

CSI has also developed short-wave IR heating panels with high power density to allow for the removal of bakery, pastry, or even egg-based products (omelets and tortillas) from their freezing trays before packaging. These panels heat the support tray in seconds without defrosting the products placed on it. This allows them to be easily removed from the trays before being packaged and sold as frozen products.