Global Radio Frequency Processing Market Size (2023 – 2030)

According to the report published by Virtue Market Research in 2022, the Global Radio Frequency Processing Market was valued at $14.06 billion, and is projected to reach a market size of $52.31 billion by 2030. Over the forecast period of 2023-2030, market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.85%.

Industry Overview:

The food processing technology is known as radio frequency (RF) heating is frequently used for baking, drying, and thawing frozen goods. Its use for pasteurization, food sterilization, and food disinfection is more constrained. This article will go through the fundamentals of this technology as well as several RF heating applications in the food processing industry.

Any dielectric material can be processed using RF technology, and the majority of food products are dielectric. Foods contain polar molecules like water, which have dipole moments, or separate positive and negative charge centres. Polar molecules align with the field through the dipole moment phenomena when placed in an electric field. Polar molecules rotate continually by the field as it alternates in this manner. The molecules rub against one another, creating friction that increases the temperature of the food by turning electromagnetic energy into heat. Through ionic conduction, dissociative ions in food also generate heat when they bounce back and forth within the food, causing friction and heat.

Process parameters must take into account the food's electromagnetic properties. Permeability and permittivity are the two crucial characteristics. Permeability contributes very little to dielectric heating and is hence rarely taken into account. The term most frequently used to describe the dielectric properties of foods is permittivity. It connects the attenuation of wave energy within the meal and the reflection of electromagnetic waves at interfaces. Numerous foods' dielectric characteristics have been researched by academics and are documented in the literature. The transmission line, open-ended coaxial probe, and resonant cavity techniques are the three most widely used ways to measure the properties of dielectric materials. It's crucial to keep in mind that dielectric qualities rely on temperature, frequency, density, and structure in addition to other factors.

Impact of Covid-19 on the industry:

The COVID-19 virus has caused an unparalleled health threat to the world, having an unpredictably negative effect on nations, supply chains, and the global economy. The world will likely have to deal with this unusual situation for some time rather than find a quick answer. Initial data offers some insights into actions, safeguards, and processes for sustainability. The manufacturing of food and beverages is a quick responder to the COVID-19 challenge, both in South Africa (SA) and internationally. Food is necessary for human survival, yet there are considerable COVID-19 dangers along the food value chain.

Market Drivers

Radio frequency heating is better than microwave heating thus boosting the market growth:

The use of RF heating over microwave heating provides several benefits. In contrast to microwave heating, which transmits in all directions, RF heating is easier to use since it only creates an electrical field between a pair of electrodes in one direction. A waveguide is necessary for microwave equipment to transmit microwaves. This makes building big RF heating systems easier and makes applying them to ongoing operations less complicated. The utilization of lower frequencies by RF processing than by microwave processing results in deeper penetration depths, which makes it possible to process bulk food products with greater dimensions.

The moisture content of the finished product can also be dynamically controlled using RF processing. By automatically dynamically matching oscillator circuits to the load, the power consumed by the load can be managed. This allows RF driers to automatically draw more power if the product has an excessive amount of moisture. Finally, RF heating is somewhat more efficient than microwave heating because it offers more uniform field distributions.

Rising demand in bakeries for RF processors is driving the market growth:

Post-baking Manufacturing of cookies, crackers, cereal, and snack foods frequently uses RF drying. Because of moisture gradients in the product, surface cracking frequently happens during conventional drying methods. This problem is resolved by RF drying since the radiation penetrates uniformly, reducing moisture gradients. The usage of RF also prevents flavour loss and colour deterioration brought on by thermal build-up. Faster line speeds, more stable moisture levels, lower drying temperatures, and more compact equipment footprints are all made possible by it. RF is also quite effective at removing the last of the moisture from dry baked goods.

Market Restraints

Uncontrolled operation of RF can affect children and infants thus stifling the market growth:

To prevent this form of listening in, the signal can also be modified using spread spectrum or frequency hopping methods. Preadolescent children, pregnant women, pacemaker patients, little birds, Flora and Fauna, etc. are all impacted by unchecked RF traditions.

High Energy Consumption will act as a market restraint for the radio frequency processing market:

One of the main issues limiting the growth of the global microwave oven market is the high energy consumption of microwave ovens. The cost of electricity in many areas prevents the usage of such equipment for domestic purposes. Commercial microwave ovens utilize a significant amount of electricity because of their long operating hours. However, businesses are now selling energy-saving, revolutionary microwave ovens that cook meals more quickly and effectively.

RADIO FREQUENCY PROCESSING MARKET REPORT COVERAGE:

This research report on the global radio frequency processing market has been segmented and sub-segmented based on, application and Geography & region.

Global Radio Frequency Processing Market- By Application

• Drying & Baking

• Defrosting

• Sterilization and Pasteurization

• Disinfestation

The heat is transmitted to the surface of the dough via convection, conduction, and irradiation during traditional baking, and then from the surface toward the inside during heat conduction. Due to the low heat conductivity of the dough, the typical baking procedure is laborious and might take up to 30 minutes. In the RF processing of bread, dough pieces are inserted into pans composed of heat-resistant, RF compatible, food-grade polymers and baked in an oven with controlled temperature air flow and exhaust blowers to remove excess moisture. For commercial bread loaves, total baking periods are lowered to 8–10 minutes, and the bread does form a crust when it exits the RF oven.

Heat transfer is inherently slow when using conventional defrosting techniques. The length of time required increases with product size. As a result, there are more chances for bacteria to thrive, there are more drip losses, the product quality suffers, and there is a large economic loss. Even for huge product blocks, defrosting is accomplished in minutes as opposed to hours or days because of RF's quick volumetric heat generation. Additionally, it can be done inside the container itself. The heating procedure is perfect for many defrosting operations since it significantly reduces drip losses while limiting product deterioration brought on by bacterial growth.

Retorting is a type of sterilization that typically involves subjecting things to extreme heat treatments, which degrades the quality of the final product. At temperatures below the boiling point of water, pasteurization is a comparatively moderate heat treatment. The packaged food is heated using saturated steam or pressurized hot water in both conventional sterilizing and pasteurization processes. The slow and uneven temperature rise of the product commonly causes overheating of the food's outer layers, resulting in quality losses. Product deterioration is minimized by RF's capacity to quickly create heat volumetrically inside the product.

Global Radio Frequency Processing Market- By Region

• North America

• Europe

• Asia-Pacific

• Latin America

• The Middle East and Africa

In terms of market share worldwide, North America dominated the microwave oven market in 2021. The North American food processing and restaurant industries have experienced explosive growth, which has boosted the market for microwave ovens there. Although countertop microwave ovens have long been a standard kitchen appliance for homes in the United States and Canada, there has been a growing demand for built-in microwave ovens and full-size combi ovens from major restaurant chains and food service establishments.

Given that appliances like microwave ovens handle the majority of food preparation in the region, European consumers seek excellent efficiency from electronic cooking equipment. Since thawing is a common technique in the European foodservice industry, microwave oven manufacturers there are primarily concerned with raising the quality of cooked food. Microwave ovens take up a lot of room in business settings while providing high-performance cooking and reheating. However, a few of the region's nations don't have energy labels on the goods they sell.

The APEJ region's developed nations' rising living standards have had a significant impact on microwave oven sales. Younger consumers' demand for high-end, intelligent electronic equipment is growing, which is good news for APEJ producers. The market for microwave ovens in the APEJ is seeing the introduction of new devices that give consumers a variety of cooking options, taking into account the region's varied dietary customs.

Global Radio Frequency Processing Market- By Companies

1. Hoover Limited

2. Alto-Shaam Inc.

3. Illinois Tool Works Inc.

4. LG Electronics

5. Samsung Electronics

6. Galanz Enterprise Group

7. AB Electrolux

8. Sharp Corporation

9. Whirlpool Corporation

10. Panasonic Corporation

NOTABLE HAPPENINGS IN THE GLOBAL RADIO FREQUENCY PROCESSING MARKET IN THE RECENT PAST:

• Product Launch: - In 2020, The Continental brand of home appliances was relaunched by the Electrolux Group in the Brazilian market, bringing 27 new items with new price ranges, including built-in ovens, microwaves, and refrigerators, as well as a marketing campaign that promotes equality in the home. This will help the business increase its services and serve a wide spectrum of clients.

• Product Launch: - In 2019, In India, Haier introduced two new models of microwave ovens: the Convection (HIL2501CBSH) and Solo (HIL2001MWPH). According to Haier, the Solo model has a 20-litre capacity while the Convection model has a 25-litre capacity.