Non-thermal Processing of Seafoods

With the introduction of Industry 4.0, and smart factories accordingly, there are new opportunities to implement elements of industry 4.0 in nonthermal processing. Moreover, with application of Internet of things (IoT), smart control of the process, big data optimization, as well as sustainable production and monitoring, there is a new era of Internet of nonthermal food processing technologies (IoNTP). Nonthermal technologies include high power ultrasound, pulsed electric fields, high voltage electrical discharge, high pressure processing, UV-LED, pulsed light, e-beam, and advanced thermal food processing techniques include microwave processing, ohmic heating and high-pressure homogenization. The aim of this review was to bring in front necessity to evaluate possibilities of implementing smart sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, additive technologies with nonthermal technologies, with the possibility to create smart factories together with strong emphasis on sustainability. This paper brings an overview on digitalization, IoT, additive technologies (3D printing), cloud data storage and smart sensors including two SWOT analysis associated with IoNTPs and sustainability. It is of high importance to perform life cycle assessment (LCA), to quantify (En)—environmental dimension; (So)—social dimension and (Ec)—economic dimension. SWOT analysis showed: potential for energy saving during food processing; optimized overall environmental performance; lower manufacturing cost; development of eco-friendly products; higher level of health and safety during food processing and better work condition for workers. Nonthermal and advanced thermal technologies can be applied also as sustainable techniques working in line with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030 issued by United Nations (UN).

Applications of non-thermal technologies in food processing Industries-A review

Consumers demand healthier fresh tasting foods without chemical preservatives. To address the need, food industry is exploring alternative preservation methods such as high pressure processing (HPP) and pulsed electric field processing. During HPP, the food material is subjected to elevated pressures (up to 900 MPa) with or without the addition of heat to achieve microbial inactivation with minimal damage to the food. One of the unique advantages of the technology is the ability to increase the temperature of the food samples instantaneously; this is attributed to the heat of compression, resulting from the rapid pressurization of the sample. Pulsed electric field (PEF) processing uses short bursts of electricity for microbial inactivation and causes minimal or no detrimental effect on food quality attributes. The process involves treating foods placed between electrodes by high voltage pulses in the order of 20–80 kV (usually for a couple of microseconds). PEF processing offers high quality fresh-like liquid foods with excellent flavor, nutritional value, and shelf life. Pressure in combination with other antimicrobial agents, including CO2, has been investigated for juice processing. Both HPP and PEF are quite effective in inactivating harmful pathogens and vegetative bacteria at ambient temperatures. Both HPP and PEF do not present any unique issues for food processors concerning regulatory matters or labeling. The requirements are similar to traditional thermal pasteurization such as development of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan for juices and beverages. Examples of high pressure, pasteurized, value added products commercially available in the United States include smoothies, fruit juices, guacamole, ready meal components, oysters, ham, poultry products, and salsa. PEF technology is not yet widely utilized for commercial processing of food products in the United States. The presentation will provide a brief overview of HPP and PEF technology fundamentals, equipment choices for food processors, process economics, and commercialization status in the food industry, with emphasis on juice processing. Paper published with permission.

Sustainability of emerging green non-thermal technologies in the food industry with food safety perspective: A review

This study provides a comprehensive review of non-thermal food processing technologies and their effectiveness in preventing microbial contamination and improving food quality. Non-thermal treatments, including high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric fields (PEF), ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, plasma treatment, and ohmic heating, offer innovative alternatives to traditional thermal methods for microbial control. These technologies leverage mechanisms such as pressure, electrical energy, light, or reactive species to achieve microbial inactivation while preserving sensory attributes and nutritional integrity. Despite their considerable potential, non-thermal treatments face challenges and limitations related to technological complexity, regulatory considerations, cost implications, and efficacy against specific microorganisms or food matrices. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration between industry stakeholders, regulatory agencies, and research institutions to drive innovation, establish regulatory frameworks, and optimize implementation strategies. By overcoming current limitations and harnessing the full potential of non-thermal treatments, the food industry can enhance food safety, quality, and sustainability while meeting consumer demands for safe and minimally processed foods.

Packaging materials for non-thermal processing of food and beverages

Hurdle technology is a combination of different preservation factors and/or technologies to produce high quality, safe and in many cases, shelf-stable food products. Incorporation of nonthermal processing technologies in hurdle combinations is of great interest due to their lethal effect on vegetative bacteria, yeasts, and molds, while maintaining the nutritional and organoleptic properties of the original food products. Each preservation method has its pros and cons depending on the processing parameters and food matrix. Thus, the hurdle approach is a promising strategy to avoid the limitations of most of the processing technologies. This approach enhances the lethality, reduces the cost, treatment intensity and/or time compared to the individual application of a stress factor. In this chapter, the combinations of some of the most common nonthermal technologies, such as high pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, ultrasound, and light-based technologies with conventional hurdles (i.e. heat, pH, antimicrobials) are reviewed and explained, and given emphasis to the microbial inactivation in selected food products.

8 - High pressure processing (HPP) of foods and its combination with electron beam processing

The impact of food processing on drug absorption, metabolism, and subsequent pharmacological activity is a pressing yet insufficiently explored area of research. Overlooking food-processing-drug interactions can significantly disrupt optimal clinical patient management. The challenges extend beyond merely considering the type and timing of food ingestion as to drug uptake; the specific food processing methods applied play a pivotal role. This study delves into both selected thermal and non-thermal food processing techniques, investigating their potential interference with the established pharmacokinetics of medications. Within the realm of thermal processing, conventional methods like deep fat frying, grilling, or barbecuing not only reduce the enteric absorption of drugs but also may give rise to side-products such as acrylamide, aldehydes, oxysterols, and oxyphytosterols. When produced in elevated quantities, these compounds exhibit enterotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects, potentially impacting the metabolism of various medications. Of note, a variety of thermal processing is frequently adopted during the preparation of diverse traditional herbal medicines. Conversely, circumventing high heat through innovative approaches (e.g., high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, plasma technology), opens new avenues to improve food quality, efficiency, bioavailability, and sustainability. However, it is crucial to exercise caution to prevent the excessive uptake of active compounds in specific patient categories. The potential interactions between food processing methods and their consequences, whether beneficial or adverse, on drug interactions can pose health hazards in certain cases. Recognizing this knowledge gap underscores the urgency for intensified and targeted scientific inquiry into the multitude of conceivable interactions among food composition, processing methods, and pharmaceutical agents. A thorough investigation into the underlying mechanisms is imperative. The complexity of this field requires substantial scrutiny and collaborative efforts across diverse domains, including medicine, pharmacology, nutrition, food science, food technology, and food engineering.

Fresh-cut foods have become highly popular as these commodities are convenient to manage with premium freshness and quality. However, the shelf life of fresh-cut potatoes is limited. The traditional practice consists of a set of operations including washing, peeling, slicing, chemical treatment, packing, and storage. Besides, various chemical or synthetic additives are being applied to tackle quality-related issues such as browning, textural degradation, microbial spoilage, and shelf-life stability. Nevertheless, the demand for natural additives and nonthermal preservation techniques has increased with growing concerns about the potential health risks of chemical additives. This review paper discusses the use of various synthetic and natural food additives alone or in combination with the emerging nonthermal technologies for enhancing the quality characteristics of fresh-cut potatoes. Overall, the nonthermal processing technologies including sonication, cold plasma, high-pressure processing, ultraviolet, and pulsed electric field would be promising treatments for the fresh-cut food industry compared with conventional approaches. Practical applications Fresh-cut potato is highly susceptible to microbial spoilage and undergoes rapid loss of quality due to high moisture content and rapid metabolic rate. Researchers are exploring alternative nonthermal processing technologies for producing shelf-stable food products using a clean label approach. This review covers some recent advances concerning the use of chemical compounds, including plant natural antimicrobials and antioxidants, as well as nonthermal technologies for the quality maintenance of fresh-cut potato. These technologies are known to be safe, cost-effective, and can be upscaled for use in existing processing lines of the food industry.

The pasteurization of beer occurs at the end of the industrial production, after fermentation. Generally, a mild thermal process (60°C) is employed aiming to inactivate the fermenting yeast and potential spoilage microorganisms, thus extending the beer shelf-life at room temperature. The heat treatment negatively affects the original beer freshness and flavor. In this study, beer pasteurization using emerging non-thermal technologies, namely, high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric fields (PEF), and ultrasound (US), was reviewed, including the effect on microbial inactivation and beer quality. The combination of non-thermal methods with mild heat for more efficient pasteurization of beer was also reviewed. All technologies caused microbial inactivation in beer. However, room temperature HPP treatment was the most efficient method, delivering the minimum 15 PU (pasteurization units) to beer after seconds (e.g., 300 MPa for 27 s), as opposed to thermal and TS treatments which required several minutes, while causing a negative impact on beer sensory. As expected, PEF + heat caused a higher microbial inactivation than PEF alone, and yeast ascospores were more resistant than vegetative yeast cells. Non-thermal PEF (35–45 kV/cm) caused 3–5.8 log reductions in vegetative bacteria. Studies on thermal assisted PEF and ultrasound combined with low heat (50–55°C) showed processing times in the magnitude of microseconds for PEF pasteurization and 0.5–2 min (depending on the temperature) for TS pasteurization. With respect to impact of these technologies on beer quality, HPP, thermosonication (TS), high pressure homogenization (HPH), and dense phase CO2 (DPCD) treatments revealed less effect on beer sensory properties, better retaining the freshness of original beer, compared to thermally processed beers.

High-pressure isostatic processing is a nonthermal minimum processing method to satisfy both scientific and consumer demands in the food industry. In addition to inactivating microorganisms and enzymes, it also ensures maximum retention of nutrients and sensory characteristics, thereby enabling the production of high-quality shelf-stable products. This chapter discusses the efficacy of high-pressure treatment in food processing and its prospective applications. Its subsequent effects on the microbial, enzymatic, and qualitative attributes of the food product are also reviewed. This chapter also explores the usage of high-pressure in conjunction with other techniques for the enhanced outcome. A brief legislative and commercial comprehension of food products vulnerable to high-pressure is also provided considering its increasing marketability in the current scenario.

Pineapple juice is preferred by consumers for its unique aroma and flavor that come from a set of amino acids, amines, phenolic compounds, and furanone. The juice is susceptible to spoilage, and a common practice is to pasteurize it at 70-95°C for 0.5-5min. However, the characteristic flavors and phytochemicals are negatively influenced by the intense time-temperature treatment. To retain the thermosensitive compounds in the juice, some nonthermal technologies such as high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, pulsed light, ultrasound, and ultraviolet treatments have been explored. These techniques ensured microbial safety (5-log reduction in E. coli, S. Typhimurium, or S. cerevisiae) while preserving a maximum ascorbic acid (84-99%) in the juice. The shelf life of these nonthermally treated juice varied between 14 days (UV treated at 7.5 mJ/cm2 ) and 6 months (clarified through microfiltration). Moreover, the inactivation of spoilage enzyme in the juice required a higher intensity. The present review discusses the potential of several nonthermal techniques employed for the pasteurization of pineapple juice. The pasteurization ability of the combined hurdle between mild thermal and nonthermal processing is also presented. The review also summarizes the target for pasteurization, the plan to design a nonthermal processing intensity, and the consumer perspective toward nonthermally treated pineapple juice. The techniques are compared on the common ground like safety, stability, and quality of the juice. This will help readers to select an appropriate nonthermal technology for pineapple juice production and design the intensity required to satisfy the manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.

This chapter presents some general aspects about high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), pulsed electric field (PEF), high voltage arc discharge (HVAD), and cold plasma (CP) and to explore the opportunities and drawbacks for the food and milk industry. HHP is an innovative technology for food preservation that protects the foods' sensory attributes and produces minimal quality loss. In addition, HHP has the potential to improve energy efficiency and sustainability of food production. PEF is a non-thermal technology that provides minimally processed, safe, nutritious and like-fresh foods to consumers. HVAD consists in application of electricity to pasteurize fluids by rapidly discharging electricity through an electrode gap, generating intense waves and electrolysis, thereby inactivating the microorganisms. CP is a novel non-thermal food processing technology that uses energetic, reactive gases to inactivate contaminating microbes on meats, poultry, fruits, and vegetables.

Chapter 19 - Degradation of polysaccharides during food processing