Implementação de algoritmo em Python para análises de pasteurização em indústria cervejeira

Abstract

Beer can be defined as the beverage that results from the alcoholic fermentation obtained through the metabolism of yeast on the wort. Beer is one of the oldest and most popular drinks in the world, originating more than 6,000 years ago, with a significant presence in the culture of various civilizations throughout history. To ensure the quality of beer, it is important to monitor its entire production and packaging process to ensure, through analysis, that the consumer will find the product in compliance with established standards. The pasteurization stage is of great importance in beer processing, as it is the stage where thermal treatment provides stability and safety to the beverage. Advances in food preservation studies occur as technological development progresses, and based on sterilization studies, it is possible to numerically measure values that describe the degree of beer pasteurization, based on the temperatures reached and the exposure time of the beverage to heat, through the calculation of Pasteurization Units. It is extremely important, then, for the brewery's quality control sector to analyze the pasteurization process and ensure that the treatment is sufficient to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms and contaminants without degrading the product due to excessive heat exposure. To streamline the analysis and calculation of Pasteurization Units, the automation of temperature recorder reading and calculation was proposed using a Python algorithm, and its application in the daily use of the laboratory analysts. The results were positive, and user acceptance showed the benefits of automating the steps. Some bugs encountered during the experimental period were reported, and based on the information, future corrections and improvements were planned for the developed program.