Design, Fabrication, and Validation of a Microcontroller Based Supercooling Control Unit for Use in Food Preservation.

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2017-12
Authors
Hoptowit, Raymond A.
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Biological Engineering
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Freezing is the most widely used food preservation technique in the commercial and domestic market, however the freezing process causes irreversible damages to foods as ice nucleation occurs. New emerging technologies attempt to prevent these damages from occurring by delaying ice formation within foods while maintaining internal sub-zero temperatures (i.e., Supercooling). Investigations into the simultaneous application of pulsating electric fields (PEF) and oscillating magnetic fields (OMF) during the freezing process for extension of the supercooled state within foods have been conducted. In such studies it is common to use numerous electrical equipment and instruments to precisely measure and regulate the power applied to the test food during the supercooling process. As a result, these studies have proven to be quite expensive. In an effort to reduce costs, improve portability, and simplify the data collection process a supercooling control unit was developed to replace all major equipment related to supercooling research conducted at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (Hawaii, USA). The control unit regulates and monitors all power within the magnetic and electric field generation systems. A separate thermocouple based temperature measurement system allows for monitoring of any temperatures associated with the test food sample or ambient environments. Data logging is accomplished either through on-board SD™ card or through USB port to external PC. The supercooling control unit offers a total uncertainty of ±0.7˚C for temperature measurements, ±1.71% of measurements for the PEF current, ±1.67% of measurements for PEF voltage, ±2.88% of measurements for OMF current, and ±1.91% of measurements for OMF voltage. Supercooling experiments conducted with the newly developed control unit have shown agreeable measurements with lab grade electrical equipment. 180g top round beef steak (London broil) was successfully supercooled at -4˚C for a validation period of 7 days, various food quality assessments conducted on the beef showed comparable results with data from previous supercooling studies. The control unit provides a seamless data collection process, while maintaining an adequate level of precision and accuracy within collected data. The newly developed device cuts costs, improved portability, and offers a scale-able platform upon which additional functionality can be implemented.
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Supercooling, food preservation, data logging, MCU, freezing
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