1. 1. Thermal Processing Principles 1. 1. 1. ThermalProcessing A generation ago the title of this book would have contained such terms as canning, bottling, sterilization and heat preservation; however, with the passage of time it has become necessary to use a more general title. The term thermal processing is used here in a general sense and relates to the determination of heating conditions required to produce microbiologically safe products of acce- able eating quality. It conveys the essential point that this book is concerned with the heating and cooling of packaged food products. The...