Thermal processing is a research area that focuses on the application of heat to materials, such as food products, in order to alter their physical, chemical, or microbiological properties. This can include techniques such as cooking, baking, frying, pasteurization, and sterilization. The goal of thermal processing is often to improve the safety, shelf-life, texture, flavor, and nutritional quality of food products. Researchers in this area study the effects of heat on different types of materials, as well as the development of new processing techniques and equipment to optimize the thermal processing of food and other materials.