Food Engineering logo
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • MEDIA
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
  • RESOURCES
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Latest Headlines
  • Manufacturing News
  • People & Industry News
  • Plant Openings
  • Recalls
  • Regulatory Watch
  • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
  • New Plant Products
  • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
  • Alternative Protein
  • Automation
  • Cannabis
  • Cleaning | Sanitation
  • Fabulous Food Plants
  • Food Safety
  • Maintenance Strategies
  • OEE
  • Packaging
  • Sustainability
  • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • Plant Construction Survey
  • Plant of the Year
  • Sustainable Plant of the Year
  • State of Food Manufacturing
  • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • White Papers
  • EVENTS
  • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
  • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
  • eNewsletter
  • Custom Content & Marketing Services
  • FE Store
  • Government Links
  • Industry Associations
  • Market Research
  • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issue
  • Advertise
Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
SustainabilityProcessing

Lasers Speed Food Preparation While Slashing Energy Consumption

Food processing industries and applications are able to realize quick and precise food preparation while saving energy by using laser ovens.

By Aidan Freeburg, Dr. Toby Strite
Laser

Image courtesy of Getty Images / fotojog

January 11, 2024

High-efficiency laser heating solutions are poised to impact the food processing industry as low carbon footprint alternatives to conventional ovens. Since their recent introduction, laser ovens have quickly gained market share in productivity-focused industries such a Li-ion battery cell manufacturing and drying/curing of industrial coatings such as paint or powder coat. Food processing industries and applications are able to realize similar advantages, namely, lasers can process food quickly with precise control, while saving energy.

Understanding the potential benefits begins with a demonstration of a laser oven. IPG’s Applications Lab setup consists of a 30 kilowatt laser uniformly illuminating a 130 cm x 30 cm surface beneath a projection head. Notably, the oven requires no insulating walls, because all laser energy is directed onto the processing surface. A close-up of the head reveals an infrared metrology camera just behind.

Laser heater image 1Laser heater image 2 900x550Laser heater powder coatdev01Laser heater powder coatdev02
×
Laser Heater
Laser Heater
Laser Heater Powder Coat
Laser Heater Powder Coat
Laser heater for process development at the IPG Applications Lab in Marlborough, Mass. Images courtesy of IPG Photonics


Diode lasers are the ideal laser type for heating applications because they combine the lowest cost-per-watt with the highest energy conversion efficiency. The infrared radiation, around ~970 nm, provides several benefits compared to convection furnaces. Laser light is highly directable so that only the fixed target area is illuminated. Thus, little energy is wasted heating the surroundings, including the underlying substrate. The intense radiation quickly brings the target to its baking temperature. Infrared cameras monitor the surface temperature, forming a closed loop control with the laser to ensure the process temperature window is never exceeded.

To illustrate these advantages, our setup processed supermarket peanut butter cookie dough. The manufacturer’s recommendation is to place the dough in a pre-heated 350°F oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. In the laser-oven, the target 290°F process temperature is reached after only 20 seconds. The control loop backed off laser power to maintain 290°F for another 70 seconds, allowing the dough to rise and brown as expected. A two-dimensional infrared camera image confirmed the surface temperature of the cookies were uniform during baking. The walls of the laser oven remained below 90°F the entire time. While the speed and energy saving advantages are obvious, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that all onlookers were fully satisfied when the cookies were tasted.


Peanut butter cookies 1 900x550Peanut butter cookies 2 900x550
×
Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Before and after photos of peanut butter cookies prepared from raw dough in 90 seconds. Click here for video. Image courtesy of IPG Photonics


The food industry also stands to benefit from laser ovens used for drying, which is currently performed using energy-intensive freeze drying or box oven processes. To gather insight whether similar advantages exist, we prepared 1mm cut slices from fresh supermarket apples. The slices were exposed on one side to 1.5 W/cm2 laser radiation heating them to an optimal 290°F drying temperature for a total of 10 minutes, after which time their taste and pithy texture was indistinguishable from the dried apple rings many of us snack on between meals. No doubt, had our laser oven been configured for dual-sided illumination, we would have achieved an even more impressive drying speed benchmark.

Apple-Chips-2_900x550.jpgLaser-dried apple slices were prepared from fresh cut apples by gently heating to 290°F for 10 minutes. Click here for video. Image courtesy of IPG Photonics


A primary advantage provided by a laser oven comes from shortening the time to reach process temperature. Table 1 tabulates further aspects of laser ovens which directly contribute to lower operating costs and lessened environmental impact. A laser oven consumes energy only when processing items. There is no preheating or idling between batches since the laser is able to turn on at full strength in milliseconds while switching off instantly like a light switch. No energy is wasted heating oven walls or the atmosphere inside the enclosure as with traditional ovens, or for that matter the factory floor. Other key benefits are generally less factory floor space is needed for a higher speed laser process, and that laser components are highly reliable: seven years of maintenance-free, 24/7 operation is expected.


Further aspects of laser ovens which directly contribute to lower operating costs and lessened environmental impact
Image courtesy of IPG Photonics


Like other radiative heating processes, lasers are well-suited for surface heating. Since the laser energy is projected, not focused, heating is insensitive to surface topology, provided a line-of-sight exists. For the same reason, eye safety requirements are less stringent than for focused laser solutions widely deployed by metalworking industries. Flammability is not an issue given the low (<10W/cm2) fluences employed for baking and drying.

For lasers to contribute to the food industry journey toward high-efficiency, electrification and sustainability, more aspects of the process must be understood to ensure valuable food attributes such as nutrition, taste and texture are not affected.

Still, it is already clear that laser ovens can process food with reasonable quality in a fraction of time required by a convection oven. The tantalizing prospects of higher productivity and reduced energy consumption will no doubt motivate many more food engineers and industry executives to explore incorporating laser heating into food making processes. We are looking forward to many more delicious laser-heating demonstrations.

KEYWORDS: cooking energy efficiency laser

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Aidan freeburg

Aidan Freeburg is a laser applications engineer for IPG Photonics at its applications lab in Marlborough, Mass. A graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Freeburg specializes in laser heating and laser ablation/cleaning applications for numerous advanced technology industries.

Toby strite

Toby Strite is senior director, new markets at IPG. Strite earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His entire career has been dedicated to commercializing laser technology for widespread use in telecom, sheet metal, semiconductor and medical markets, and now food processing.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    With a CAGR of 12.07%, Bonafide Research estimates this...
    Latest headlines
  • skilled MEP worker

    Predicting Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends for 2024

    The two words that should be kept in mind are labor and...
    Automation
    By: Derrick Teal
  • cleaning and sanitation

    The basics of cleaning and sanitation in food plants

    Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness...
    Food Safety
    By: Richard F. Stier
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

Food Plant Openings and Expansions June 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions June 2025

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Shalima Sreenath

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Shalima Sreenath

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Samara Heaggans

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Samara Heaggans

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

More Videos

Popular Stories

Cargill Cocoa Plant

Cargill Invests in its Cocoa Supply Chain

Campbell’s Utah plant

Going for Gold(fish): Inside The Campbell’s Company’s $160M Cracker Plant Expansion

Woman engineer on construction site

Exploring the Impact of Women Engineers on the Food Industry

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Events

June 17, 2025

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ State of the Cold Chain

On Demand Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

July 23, 2025

Decarbonizing Process Heat: What You Should Know and Next Steps

Driven by climate goals, business risk, client interest, and resilience considerations, food and beverage companies are increasingly turning their attention to decarbonizing their production processes.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Plant of the Year

Related Articles

  • Laser ablation cleaning of a dirty baking sheet

    Lasers Clean Fast, Precisely and Sustainably Without Detergents or Abrasives

    See More
  • JBT SuperStatic Retort rendering_1170x658.jpg

    Superstatic Retort for Reduced Process Times and Energy Consumption

    See More
  • Refrigerated truck

    Keeping Food Safe While Raising Cold-Chain Operating Temperature From -18°C to -15°C (-0.4°F to 5°F)

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • handbookfoodscience.jpg

    Handbook of Food Science and Technology 2: Food Process Engineering and Packaging

  • food crime.jpg

    Food Crime: An Introduction to Deviance in the Food Industry

  • ready to eat.webp

    Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • July 24, 2024

    Illuminate & Innovate: Optimizing Lighting for Food and Beverage Facilities With Energy Efficiency in Mind

    On Demand This seminar will provide practical insights and actionable strategies to optimize lighting systems for improved efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!