Thermal food processing optimization: Algorithms and software

► The algorithms and graphic user interface software package “OPT-PROx” are developed. ► “OPT-PROx” software is able to find the improvements in different objective functions. ► “OPT-PROx” supports different geometrical shapes and thermal processing conditions. ► “OPT-PROx” software is useful to food scientists, as well as to food engineers. The algorithms and graphic user interface software package “OPT-PROx” are developed to meet food engineering needs related to canned food thermal processing simulation and optimization. The adaptive random search algorithm and its modification coupled with penalty function′s approach, and the finite difference methods with cubic spline approximation are utilized by “OPT-PROx” package (http://tomakechoice.com/optprox/index.html). The diversity of thermal food processing optimization problems with different objectives and required constraints are solvable by developed software. The geometries supported by the “OPT-PROx” are the following: (1) cylinder, (2) rectangle, (3) sphere. The mean square error minimization principle is utilized in order to estimate the heat transfer coefficient of food to be heated under optimal condition. The developed user friendly dialogue and used numerical procedures makes the “OPT-PROx” software useful to food scientists in research and education, as well as to engineers involved in optimization of thermal food processing.