Interaction of electromagnetic energy with biological material - relation to food processing

For food scientists and technologists, the interaction of electromagnetic energy with enzymes, microorganisms and other food compounds is important in optimizing process efficiency and/or product quality. To be able to implement research findings on interaction of electromagnetic energy with matter; theories and experimental data from various disciplines are summarized and placed in a food processing context. Interaction of electromagnetic energy with an object can take place at microscopic and macroscopic levels. Energy penetration and the formation of(inhomogeneous) temperature profiles in the object as a whole have to be taken into account before interaction at cellular and molecular levels can be studied.