In cooking, as in mathematics, precision is key to achieving the desired results. It’s one thing to have fresh, delicious Kobe beef at hand; it’s another to cook it properly. Not turning the meat at the right moment or failing to monitor the griddle’s temperature can lead to culinary disasters, such as ending up with burnt or dry meat at the dinner table. Now, imagine having a kitchen assistant capable of implementing mathematical models to guide us while we cook, ensuring that the meat is juicy, tender, and cooked precisely to our liking. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of CRM’s Knowledge Transfer Unit, there is now a device in development aimed at making our culinary life easier.
Unlike traditional cooking methods that often rely on guesswork and constant vigilance, the KTU project leverages mathematical tools to provide an innovative solution to an everyday problem. Essentially, it offers precise temperature control of the meat, using a series of strategically placed thermometers to record temperature variations at different points within the meat, providing a real-time precise image of the cooking process and offering specific instructions for cooking management.
The prototype, designed in collaboration with Eurecat, takes into account not just temperature, but also the thickness and type of meat being cooked. Not all meat cuts are uniform, and thickness, for example, plays a crucial role in determining cooking times. By incorporating this variable into its calculations, the device generates precise instructions tailored to each individual piece of meat and its cooking progression, advising whether to increase or decrease the heat, turn the piece, or remove it from the heat, thus ensuring it reaches the desired level of doneness consistently and uniformly.
The Science Behind Perfectly Cooked Meat
The heat equation, a fundamental concept in the study of heat transfer, forms the basis for predicting how heat travels through meat over time. This equation, a partial differential equation, is fundamental in thermodynamics and the physics of heat. By applying this equation in a culinary context, the device can anticipate the precise temperature changes needed to achieve the desired level of doneness.
Data analysis is another critical mathematical aspect of this innovation. The device continuously collects temperature data from its network of thermometers, comparing it against the desired cooking curve. When discrepancies arise, the device can suggest real-time adjustments, alerting us only when the piece of meat requires our intervention. All these techniques have been efficiently implemented, and both the device and the software implementation were presented at Food4Future a few weeks ago in Bilbao.
Mathematical Tools Serving Society
The inventor behind this culinary device is Joan Ceravalls i Pujol, a restaurant owner in Vallès. Joan, who holds a degree in pharmacy, embarked on developing this device using his ingenuity and creativity to envision a tangible application of science in his professional field. To strengthen the mathematical foundation of his project, Joan contacted CRM’s Knowledge Transfer Unit.
This collaboration between a chef and mathematicians is a prime example of how individuals with different experiences and knowledge can come together to create innovative solutions for society. According to David Romero, head of the KTU, “This is important because knowledge transfer should be a dialogue, not a monologue.”
These collaborations between research and society are a regular part of the role of the CRM KTU. When a company or individual presents a problem that can be addressed with mathematical solutions, the KTU develops “a conceptual map of what is being attempted and how we would approach it.” According to David Romero, “This tells us whether we can do it with the tools we already know. If not, it also lets us know if we are prepared to research on our own or if external help is needed (we are a hub for mathematical research in Catalonia) to fully shape the solution.”
Joan’s story exemplifies the profound impact of passion and determination and the importance of making locally conducted research available to society. At the same time, the role of the KTU in this collaboration underscores the significance of applying mathematical tools to solve everyday challenges.