Modeling the nutritional value of thermally processed food products based on CFD simulations - Results of the Miniatura 6 NCN grant

1. Description of the purpose of the scientific activity: The aim of the scientific activity was to optimize the heat treatment process of food products using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and to assess the impact of this process on the nutritional value of the finished product. The following beef meat was selected for the study: strip beef, shin, entrecote, neck, leg, topside, topside, shoulder and brisket. The obtained results on the selection of heat treatment parameters, i.e. temperature, time, forced convection, allowed for the creation of a knowledge base on the basis of which a multi-factor optimization was carried out between the basic composition (the amount of: protein, fat, water, connective tissue and ash) and the content of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and vitamin E in beef. The aim and scope of the research has been achieved.

2. Description of the implementation of the scientific activity: Experimental research was carried out at the Department of Food Technology and Design at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. The raw material for the tests, i.e. beef meat from elements of different basic composition (protein, fat, connective tissue, ash, water): strip beef, rind entrecote, neck, leg, topside, topside, shoulder, brisket was purchased in three batches . The scope of the scientific activity included three stages:

CFD simulation - computer simulation of heat treatment of beef characterized by a diverse basic composition and determination of the reduction of CLA and vitamin E content in various conditions of the thermal process - building a knowledge base,

RSM optimization - using the CFD database of changes in the content of CLA and vitamin E, depending on the parameters of the thermal process, for optimization using the response surface method (RSM) - it allowed the selection of the best thermal treatment parameters ensuring the smallest losses of the above-mentioned bioactive ingredients,

verification - laboratory tests were carried out using chromatographic techniques of vitamin E (HPLC - high-performance liquid chromatography) and CLA (GC - gas chromatography) content to confirm the predicted RSM results based on CFD simulation. Information on the mechanism of shaping the content of CLA and vitamin E in heat-treated beef allowed for the creation of a database that makes it possible to determine the optimal conditions for heat treatment of food products. The research was experimental, and the obtained results provided information on the mechanism of thermal decomposition depending on the parameters of the heat treatment process and the basic composition of food products. The scientific activity was used to develop a mechanism describing the relationship between the basic composition, method and parameters of heat treatment and the thermal stability of CLA and vitamin E in beef.

3. Description of the effects of the implementation of the scientific activity:

The study showed a significant effect of the basic composition of beef on changes in the content of vitamin E and CLA during heat treatment. The use of an innovative method of modeling and simulation of thermal processes with the use of CFD allowed for a precise analysis of changes in the content of the above-mentioned substances. components in meat samples of different basic composition. The analyzes carried out showed that the content of: protein, fat, tk. total, ash, water in individual elements of the beef carcass, i.e. strip beef, rib eye shank, neck, round, topside, topside, shoulder, brisket affects the temperature distribution in the entire volume of the raw material, which results in partial decomposition of vitamin E and CLA. Based on the developed experimental model, optimization was performed using the response surface method (RSM), thanks to which the best parameters of the heat treatment process using a convection steam oven were obtained. The optimization was carried out individually for each element differing in basic composition, and among the optimized process parameters were: processing temperature [℃], humidity inside the furnace chamber [%], process time [s] and fan speed ensuring forced convection of air and steam [RPM ]. The last, third stage of the research task was the verification of the optimization model with the results of laboratory analyses. The tests carried out using gas chromatography (GC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) allowed to obtain the results of vitamin E and CLA content at a level consistent with those predicted on the basis of RSM models.