No abstract

Statistical process control (SPC) was implemented in an industrial baking process of smoked Calabrese‐type sausage, a step that influences the final quality of the product. Data from the cooking process were collected to evaluate the stability of the process. The parameters such as air speed, smoke speed, temperature profile inside the smoker, and the internal temperature of the product were evaluated. The thermophysical properties (conductivity, resistance, and thermal diffusivity) of the sausage were also determined. The generation of control charts and process capability analysis showed that the parameter of weight losses is not under control. The results for the thermophysical properties, weight losses between the smoker, internal temperature variation of the smoker, and the air speed of the smoke inside the oven did not show a significant difference (p > .05) during the cooking process. However, a significant difference was observed in the steam pressure of the smoker. Through the actions directed by the SPC, it was possible to notice a reduction of 0.27% in the variability of the process.Practical ApplicationsSPC is a tool developed to assist in efficient quality control and provides information for process validation, to check critical control points and diagnose possible deviations at all stages of the process, as well as to indicate the possible sources of these variations of quality, making possible corrections and interactions with the process. The research presents the process capability analysis for the industrial cooking step of Calabrese‐type smoked sausage, using the variable weight loss as control parameter, for the standardization and process control in obtaining standardized and good quality products. After the corrective actions indicated by the SPC, the variability of the process was reduced, improving the characteristics of the final product.

As cultivares Chimarrita e Eragil destacam-se em produtividade frutífera, com alta qualidade de sabor, tamanho e valor nutricional. No entanto, devido à perecibilidade e sazonalidade, é necessário o desenvolvimento de métodos de conservação, entre os quais a desidratação pode ser usada para aumentar o prazo de validade da fruta, além de agregar valor aos pêssegos. Nesse sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho foi desidratar as cultivares de pêssego Chimarrita e Eragil por forno convencional, desidratação osmótica seguida de de forno e liofilização, verificar pH, sólidos solúveis, atividade de água e umidade e ajustar modelos matemáticos à cinética de secagem dos pêssegos nesses diferentes processos de secagem. Os modelos utilizados para ajustar as curvas cinéticas de secagem foram Lewis, Page e Silva. A cinética de secagem dos pêssegos foi seguida de pesagem das amostras até peso constante. Diferenças significativas (p <0,05) foram encontradas entre os processos de secagem e entre os parâmetros avaliados. Entre os modelos estudados, o modelo Silva obteve o melhor ajuste para todas as curvas cinéticas dos diferentes processos de secagem, corroboradas por seus indicadores estatísticos. Foi possível concluir que os modelos de Page e Silva descrevem satisfatoriamente as curvas de secagem, com resultados que podem ser considerados equivalentes.