Thermal Processing of Food Packaging Waste Using Microwave Heating

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Abstract
A method for thermal processing of food packaging waste using microwaves was developed. The waste material was shredded and compacted into cylinders with added moisture. The cylinders at different densities and moisture contents were processed at three microwave power levels, and at 0 and 15 prig over pressure. Heating rate decreased with density. At 2.83x10-2 W/cm3 absorbed power, locations close to the surface of the material had slower heating rates. At low densities (1.004 g/cm3 to 2.510 g/cm3), heating rate was higher at 40% moisture content than at 35 and 50% moisture contents. At higher densities (3.012 g/cm3 to 4.016 g/cm3) heating rates were higher at 35 and 50% moisture contents. At 4.48x10-2 W/cm3 and 5.85x10-2 W/cm3 absorbed power, heating rate increased with power and was not significantly higher at any specific location. Uniform temperatures of 121°C were attained when the waste samples were heated in an enclosed chamber at 4.48x10-2 W/cm3 absorbed power and 15 psig steam over pressure. Logarithmic reductions frvm 0.4 to 1.3 of B. stearothermophilus (test organism) were observed when the sample was heated for process times ranging from 60 to 101 seconds, compared with predicted values of 1.1 to 3.3 based on the time-temperature data.

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