Effect of microwave heating in cook/chill food service system. Energy balance for heating beef loaf.

In the microwave-heating subsystem of the simulated cook/chill food service, 100-gm. portions of precooked beef loaf were heated 80 sec. (2,450 mHz; 237 V.; 3,003 W. input power; 1,407 W. output power) to a mean internal end temperature of 82 +/- 9 degrees C. Mean input power to the microwave oven during heating, controlled by a transformer, was 240 kJ. per 80 sec. Fifty-three percent of the input power to the microwave oven was used to operate the oven. Of the 47 percent output power available to heat the beef loaf, 12 percent of the total input power was estimated to heat beef loaf, 17 percent was estimated to evaporate water from beef loaf, and 18 percent was attributed to miscellaneous energy losses.