Evaluation of pulsed electric field and minimal heat treatments for inactivation of pseudomonads and enhancement of milk shelf-life

Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatment of milk provides the opportunity to increase the shelf-life of fresh milk for distribution to distant markets. PEF treatments were evaluated in sterile (UHT) milk to determine the inactivation of added spoilage Pseudomonas isolates and the subsequent gains in microbial shelf-life (time taken to reach 10⁷ CFU mL^− 1). Little inactivation of Pseudomonas was achieved at 15 or 40 °C compared with 50 or 55 °C. The greatest inactivation (> 5 logs) was achieved by processing at 55 °C with 31 kV cm^− 1 (139.4 kJ L^− 1). Heat treatment at the application temperature without PEF treatment caused minimal inactivation of Pseudomonas (only 0.2 logs), demonstrating that the inactivation of the Pseudomonas was due to the PEF treatment rather than the heat applied to the milk. At added Pseudomonas levels of 10³ and 10⁵ CFU mL^− 1, the microbial shelf-life of PEF-treated milk was extended by at least 8 days at 4 °C compared with untreated milk. The total microbial shelf-life of the PEF-treated milk was 13 and 11 days for inoculation levels of 10³ and 10⁵ CFU mL^− 1 respectively. The results indicate that PEF treatment is useful for the reduction of pseudomonads, the major spoilage bacteria of milk.Industrial relevancePseudomonads are the major psychrotrophic spoilage microflora of refrigerated, stored HTST pasteurised milk. Long-life (UHT) products are an important component of milk sales in South-East Asia, but in recent years there has been an increasing demand for less processed milk products with extended shelf-life. The recent practice of shipping fresh bulk milk from Australia to South-East Asian countries has necessitated additional heat treatment prior to export and on arrival, to achieve the required shelf-life. Pulsed electric field treatment of HTST milk, applied alone or in combination with mild heat under optimised conditions, offers the opportunity of shelf-life extension, while limiting the reduction in quality attributes of milk associated with more severe additional heat treatments.     

Microbiological and physicochemical stability of raw,pasteurised or pulsed electric field-treated milk

Pulsed electric field (PEF) processing was investigated as an alternative dairy preservation technology that would not compromise quality yet maintain safety. PEF processing of raw whole milk (4% fat) was conducted at two processing conditions (30 kV/cm, 22 μs, at either 53 or 63 °C outlet temperature) and compared with two thermal treatments (15 s, at either 63 or 72 °C) and a raw milk control and replicated twice. Milk bottles (2 L) from each treatment were incubated for two weeks, at 4 and 8 °C, and assessed for total plate count, pH, colour, rennetability, plasmin activity and lipid oxidation. The microbial quality of the thermal (72 °C/15 s) and PEF (63 °C) were similar. A drop in pH occurred after a change in counts was observed. Rennetability was not different between the treatments. Short chain acids dominated the volatile profile of the milk samples. Concentration of volatiles derived from microbial activity, namely 2,3-butanedione, acetic acid and other milk lipid derived short chain free fatty acids (e.g. butanoic and hexanoic acids), followed the trend of microbial activity in milk samples.Industrial relevanceResearch on the application of PEF to control spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms and enzyme systems in milk spans a wide array of processing equipment and reaction conditions. While industrial scale PEF processing of liquid milk for preservation and improved quality seems generally possible, substantiation of lower thermal damage under safe and scalable PEF conditions is required to enable economic feasibility.     

Proteolysis and storage stability of UHT milk produced in Turkey

The effect of raw milk quality (total and psychrotrophic bacterial and somatic cell counts, proteinase and plasmin activity) and UHT temperature (145 or 150 °C for 4 s) on proteolysis in UHT milk processed by a direct (steam-injection) system was investigated during storage at 25 °C for 180 d. High proteinase activity was measured in low-quality raw milk, which had high somatic cell count, bacterial count and plasmin activity. The levels of 12% trichloroacetic acid–soluble and pH 4.6-soluble nitrogen in all milk samples increased during storage, and samples produced from low-quality milk at the lower UHT temperature (145 °C) showed the highest values. Bitterness in UHT milk processed from low-quality milk at 145 °C increased during storage; gelation occurred in that milk after 150 d. The RP-HPLC profiles of pH 4.6-soluble fraction of the UHT milk samples produced at 150 °C showed quite small number of peaks after 180 d of storage. Sterilization at 150 °C extended the shelf-life of the UHT milk by reducing proteolysis, gelation and bitterness.     

Shelf-life evaluation of virgin olive oil extracted from olives subjected to nonthermal pretreatments for yield increase

Critical process parameters for the yield and quality of olive oils are the temperature and treatment duration of the malaxation process. A balance between oil yield and quality must be achieved. Novel technologies such as High Pressure (HP) and Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) that cause alterations to cell permeability, may promote the olive oil extraction process during malaxation, resulting in higher oil yields.Three different varieties of Olive fruits (Tsounati, Amfissis and Manaki var.) were subjected to different HP (200 and 600 MPa, 25 °C for 1 and 5 min) and PEF (1.6–70.0 kJ/kg) process conditions before malaxation (30 min at 30 °C). The extraction yield was increased up to 18 and 16% for PEF and HP treated olive fruits, respectively. The shelf-life tests indicate that the oil quality from nonthermally pretreated olives is dependent on the technology and process conditions used. An increase of oil oxidative stability for PEF and HP treated olives was shown, compared to control samples.The results show that HP and PEF could be applied for the production of superior quality virgin olive oil with increased yield.     

Post-harvest treatment of cherry tomatoes by gamma radiation: Microbial and physicochemical parameters evaluation

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of gamma radiation on cherry tomatoes, to assess the potential of irradiation post-harvest treatment for fruit shelf-life extension. Freshly packed cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicus var. cerasiforme) were irradiated at several gamma radiation doses (0.8 kGy up to 5.7 kGy) in a ⁶⁰Co chamber. Microbiological parameters, antioxidant activity and quality properties such as texture, color, pH, total soluble solids content, titratable acidity, and sensory parameters, were assessed before and after irradiation and during storage time up to 14 days at 4 °C. Inactivation studies of natural cherry tomatoes microbiota and inoculated potential foodborne pathogens (Salmonella enterica; Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) were performed. A two log reduction on the microbial load of cherry tomatoes was verified after irradiation at 3.2 kGy, and 14 days of storage at 4 °C. Moreover, a maximum reduction of 11 log on the viability of potential foodborne bacteria was obtained after irradiation at 3.2 kGy on spiked fruits. Regarding fruits quality properties, irradiation caused a decrease in firmness compared with non-irradiated fruit, although it was verified a similar acceptability among fruits non-irradiated and irradiated at 3.2 kGy. Therefore, these results suggest that the irradiation treatment could be advantageous in improving microbial safety of cherry tomatoes and shelf-life extension without affecting significantly its quality attributes.Industrial relevanceThere is an ever-increasing global demand from consumers for high-quality foods with major emphasis placed on quality and safety attributes. One of the main demands that consumers display is for minimally processed, high-nutrition/low-energy natural foods with no or minimal chemical preservatives. Extending the shelf-life, while improving the food safety, will have a positive impact on both the industry and consumers (and potential target groups such as immunocompromised patients). The present study indicated that post-harvest gamma radiation treatment of cherry tomatoes can be used as an emergent, clean and environmental friendly process to extend the shelf-life of this fruit with safety and quality.     

Microbial shelf-life of high-pressure-homogenised milk

The anti-bacterial effect of high pressure homogenisation (HPH) on milk is widely reported but the shelf-life of HPH-treated milk, as reported in this communication has not been studied thus far. Raw whole milk was homogenised at 200 or 250 MPa at 55 or 70 °C and counts of total bacteria (TBC), psychrotrophs, pseudomonads, coliforms, lactobacilli, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus were determined throughout subsequent storage for 14 days at 4 °C. Immediately after HPH treatment, counts of all bacteria were below the level of detection but after storage for 14 days at 4 °C, TBC, psychrotroph and pseudomonad counts had reached ∼10⁸ cfu mL⁻¹ in all samples treated with HPH. The limited shelf-life obtained indicates that HPH of milk at these processing parameters it is not a suitable alternative to pasteurisation for extending the shelf-life of milk.     

Alkaline phosphatase and microbial inactivation by pulsed electric field in bovine milk

The effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatments at field intensities of 25–37 kV cm^− 1 and final PEF treatment temperatures of 15 °C and 60 °C on the inactivation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Total Plate Count (TPC), Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae counts were determined in raw skim milk. At 15 °C, PEF treatments of 28 to 37 kV cm^− 1 resulted in 24–42% inactivation in ALP activity and < 1 log reduction in TPC and Pseudomonas count, while the Enterobacteriaceae count was reduced by at least 2.1 log units to below the detection limit of 1 CFU mL^− 1. PEF treatments of 25 to 35 kV cm^− 1 at 60 °C resulted in 29–67% inactivation in ALP activity and up to 2.4 log reduction in TPC, while the Pseudomonas and Enterobacteriaceae counts were reduced by at least 5.9 and 2.1 logs, respectively, to below the detection limit of 1 CFU mL^− 1. Kinetic studies suggested that the effect of field intensity on ALP inactivation at the final PEF treatment temperature of 60 °C was more than twice that at 15 °C. A combined effect was observed between the field intensity and temperature in the inactivation of both ALP enzyme and the natural microbial flora in raw skim milk.Industrial relevanceMilk has been pasteurised to ensure its safety and extend its shelf life. However, the need for retaining heat-sensitive nutrient and sensory properties of milk has resulted in interest in the application of alternative technologies. The results of the current study suggest that PEF as a non-thermal process can be employed for the treatment of raw milk in mild temperature to achieve adequate safety and shelf life while preserving the heat-sensitive enzymes, nutrients and bioactive compounds.     

Resistance of Enterobacter sakazakii to pulsed electric fields

The influence of various environmental factors on Enterobacter sakazakii inactivation by pulsed electric fields was studied and the mechanisms underlying the changes in resistance were also explored. E. sakazakii PEF resistance was higher upon entering the stationary growth phase, but it did not significantly change with growth temperature. E. sakazakii cells were also more resistant to PEF in both acidified and low water activity media. Thus, for stationary-phase cells grown at 30 °C a treatment of 50 pulses at 31 kV/cm led to 5.1 log₁₀ cycles of inactivation in media of pH 7.0 (a_w > 0.99), 1.4 log₁₀ cycles in media of pH 4.0 (a_w > 0.99) and 0.3 log₁₀ cycles in media of a_w = 0.98 (pH 7.0). However, whereas the higher PEF tolerance in acid media was coincident with an increased number of cells capable of repairing their sublethally-injured cytoplasmic membranes, the higher resistance in media of lower water activity was not. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that sublethal injuries in outer membrane after PEF treatments have been found.Industrial relevanceThis work provides data about PEF inactivation kinetics and PEF resistance of E. sakazakii under several conditions that might be useful for designing food pasteurization processes by PEF technology. The occurrence of sublethal injuries in cytoplasmic and outer membranes under the most protective treatment conditions, gives the chance to develop combined processes that might increase the effectiveness of the PEF process.     

Optimisation of a coupled enzymatic assay of glutathione peroxidase activity in bovine milk and whey

Glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) may have important functions in milk but studies of its activity during dairy processing are hampered by the lack of suitable assays. Thus, a coupled enzymatic assay of GSHPx activity was developed for bovine milk and whey. The reaction mixture contained reduced glutathione, tert-butylhydroperoxide, glutathione reductase and NADPH in phosphate buffer. The effect of reaction conditions on enzymatic and non-enzymatic NADPH consumption was studied, and blanks without added GSHPx sample or complete incubations containing 4 mmol L⁻¹ mercaptosuccinate as an inhibitor of GSHPx were used. With increasing pH and glutathione concentration the reaction rates increased both in the complete incubation and the blank but optimal GSHPx activity was attained at a glutathione concentration of 0.63 mmol L⁻¹. A pH of 7.6 was chosen to attain near-optimal activity without reaching high blanks. Application of the new procedure showed that bulk whey samples had rather constant GSHPx activity with an average (SD) of 36.1 (2.9) U mL⁻¹, but whey samples prepared from individual cows showed a two-fold variation (range 24.5–50.6 U mL⁻¹). The procedure described was more reproducible and precise than previous methods and will be employed in further studies of dairy products.     

Resistance of Campylobacter jejuni to heat and to pulsed electric fields

The resistance of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11351 to heat and to pulsed electric fields (PEF) was studied at different treatment intensities (temperatures between 52 and 60 °C, and electric field strengths between 15 and 35 kV/cm, respectively). The influence of the growth phase, the pH of the treatment medium and the presence of sodium pyruvate in the recovery medium was also examined. A model based on the Weibull distribution was used to describe the inactivation curves, and times for the first decimal reduction were calculated (δ values). C. jejuni cells did not increase their resistance to heat nor to PEF upon entrance into stationary phase. The acidification of the treatment medium from 7.0 to 4.5 caused a sensitization of C. jejuni to heat (δ value at 55 °C × 1/4); on the contrary, resistance to PEF was increased (δ value at 25 kV/cm × 2.5). The absence of pyruvate in the recovery medium prevented recovery of a high percentage of heat-treated cells, but did not affect PEF survival. Whereas C. jejuni can be considered a heat sensitive organism (δ value at 55 °C and buffer of pH 7.0 of 2 min, z value 4.40 °C), it showed a relatively high resistance to PEF as compared to other vegetative cells (δ value at 25 kV/cm and buffer of pH 7.0 of 7 pulses, z_PEF value 8.20 kV/cm). Results obtained in this investigation indicate that Campylobacter spp. should be taken into account for the design of PEF treatments for food hygienization.Industrial relevanceBefore PEF can be commercially implemented it is necessary to determine its efficacy on pathogenic microorganisms of interest in order to ensure safety of food. There is no data available about the resistance of C. jejuni to pulsed electric fields, although it is now recognised as the leading cause of bacterial food-borne gastroenteritis throughout the world. In this research we characterize the resistance to heat and to PEF of C. jejuni NCTC 11351. Physiological factors affecting its survival to both agents are also explored.     

Effect of temperature,pH and presence of nisin on inactivation of Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 by pulsed electric fields

The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the concurrent influence of temperature (4–50 °C), pH (3.5–7.0), and the presence of nisin (up to 200 μg/mL) on the inactivation of two PEF-resistant Gram-negative, pathogenic bacteria, Salmonella Typhimurium STCC 878 and Escherichia coli O157:H7, using a PEF treatment of 30 kV/cm and 99 μs. A response surface model using a central composite design was developed for the purpose of understanding the individual effects and interactions of these factors.The models showed that temperature was the factor with the greatest influence on the PEF inactivation in the two strains investigated. Increasing the treatment temperature from 4 to 50 °C increased the lethality of PEF up to at least 4 Log₁₀ reductions for both microorganisms at all pH levels investigated. PEF lethality varied with the square of the pH observing the highest microbial PEF sensitivity at pH 5.25 at all temperatures. The addition of nisin to the treatment medium did not influence the PEF lethality independently of the temperature.PEF induced 1.0–1.5 Log₁₀ cycles of damaged cells at pH 3.5 for Salmonella Typhimurium STCC 878 and at pH 5.25 for E. coli O157:H7, independently of the temperature or the presence of nisin in the treatment medium.The application of PEF at 50 °C permitted the achievement of 5 Log₁₀ reductions of Salmonella Typhimurium STCC 878 and E. coli O157:H7 in a range of pH from 4.2 to 6.7 and from 4.5 to 6.0, respectively. Therefore, the application of PEF at moderate temperatures has great potential for achieving effective control of Gram-negative pathogenic microorganisms in the range of pH found in most foods.     

Evaluation of a pre-cut heat treatment as an alternative to chlorine in minimally processed shredded carrot

The effect of a pre-cut heat treatment (100 °C/45 s) as an alternative decontamination treatment to chlorinated-water (200 ppm active chlorine/1 min, 5 °C) was evaluated in minimally processed carrot (shredded). The quality of shredded carrots was studied just after minimal processing and during storage at 5 °C (10 days) by evaluating microbial (total mesophilic aerobic, yeast and moulds and lactic acid bacteria counts), physical–chemical (soluble solids content, pH, titratable acidity, whiteness index), physiological (peroxidase activity and headspace analysis) and sensorial attributes (colour, fresh-like appearance, aroma and general acceptance). The relationships between sensory perception of undesired changes, microbial contamination threshold, physico-chemical and physiological indices were investigated and compared between heat-treated and control samples. The use of heat in pre-cut carrot proved to be more efficient than chlorinated-water concerning microbial control (threshold concentration of 7 Log₁₀ cfu g^? 1), providing an acceptable fresh-like quality product during 10 days of storage (5 °C), which corresponds to a 3-day shelf-life extension compared to control samples. Heat-treated shredded carrot showed lower respiratory and POD activities than chlorinated samples suggesting that the use of heat provides a metabolic activity lowering effect besides the microbial effect which could be important to shelf-life extension of the fresh-cut product.Industrial relevanceIn minimally processed vegetables, namely in shredded carrot, chlorine solutions have been widely used by the industry for sanitization purposes. However, reduced microbiological efficiency allied to sensorial changes and eventual formation of carcinogenic chlorinated compounds pointed out the need for alternative decontamination methodologies. Also, the evermore conscious consumers are demanding minimization of the potentially negative impact of food processing on human health and the environment. From the practical experience of a fresh-cut industry directly involved in the R&D research project which supported this study, the marketability of minimally processed shredded carrot is limited due to rapid microbial growth and colour loss (decrease of orange intensity and/or whitening of the shreds). As a result, a pilot-plant scale study was performed, evaluating quality attributes of shredded carrot processed according to a clean pre-cut alternative decontamination process.     

Plasmin activity in direct-steam-injection UHT-processed reconstituted milk: Effects of preheat treatment

Ultra-high-temperature (UHT)-processed reconstituted milk that is subjected to a minimal preheat treatment during the direct-steam-injection heating process may have a shortened shelf-life as a result of plasmin-mediated proteolysis. Some manufacturers apply a preheat treatment before UHT treatment (140 °C for 4 s) with the aim of prolonging the shelf-life. Preheat treatments are, however, often arbitrary in terms of temperature and holding time. The aim of the current work was to determine guidelines for the minimum preheat treatment that will effectively inhibit or prevent plasmin-type enzyme activity in UHT milk. A selected range of preheat treatments was applied to milk preparations reconstituted from several batches of low-heat skim milk powder. Increased plasmin-type proteolysis was observed after intermediate preheat treatments at ⩾80 and <90 °C. Effective inhibition of plasmin-type proteolysis was obtained by preheating at 90 °C for 30 or 60 s.     

Contribution of proteolytic activity associated with somatic cells in milk to cheese ripening

The effect of proteolytic enzymes from somatic cells on cheese quality was studied. In preliminary experiments, milk and two sodium caseinate systems (pH 6.5 and pH 5.2, the latter in the presence of 5% NaCl) were used as substrates to investigate the proteolytic activity of somatic cells recovered from mastitic milk. Urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretograms of hydrolysates suggested that somatic cell extracts contributed directly to proteolysis both in buffer and in milk, but that such activity was reduced by batch pasteurisation (63 °C for 30 min). Sodium caseinate was readily hydrolysed by somatic cell extracts; hydrolysis of α_s1-casein was greater at pH 5.2 and increased with level of somatic cells, suggesting that somatic cells contain proteolytic enzymes which are more active at acidic pH values. Subsequently, miniature Cheddar-type cheeses were made from batches of milk to which somatic cells were added (at levels of levels of 3×10⁵ or 6×10⁵ cells mL⁻¹), either before or after pasteurisation. Proteolysis during ripening of cheese (as measured by levels of pH 4.6-soluble nitrogen) increased with somatic cell addition, although this effect was reduced by pasteurisation after cell addition. Somatic cells may also have directly influenced cheese moisture content, which has been established as a principal indicator of quality of Cheddar-type cheese. Proteolytic enzymes of somatic cells from milk were shown to contribute directly to proteolysis in milk and cheese.     

Pulsed electric field assisted vacuum freeze-drying of apple tissue

Impact of apple treatment by pulsed electric field (PEF) on vacuum freeze-drying was studied. Apple discs were PEF treated at an electric field strength of E = 800 V/cm for the different values of disintegration index Z. Then vacuum cooling was applied to decrease the temperature to sub-zero level and freeze-drying experiments were done at a pressure of 10 mbar. Time evolution of temperature and moisture content were compared for the PEF treated and untreated apple samples. Acceleration of cooling and drying processes was observed for the PEF treated samples. The microscopic, macroscopic analysis and data of capillary impregnation test evidenced that the PEF treatment facilitates preservation of the shape of the dried samples, allows avoiding shrinking and results in increase of the tissue pores. The sample rehydration capacity strongly depends on Z. At Z = 0.96 a high level of rehydration capacity (≈ 1.3) was observed.Industrial relevanceDifferent methods of food drying are very popular for food processing and are widely used for food preservation. However, they are very energy intensive processes and can cause undesirable changes of colour, flavour, nutrient and textural properties of foods. Vacuum freeze-drying allows obtaining high-quality food products. On the other hand, this process is power consuming, requires long time and low pressure and can provoke the damage of final dried product. Thus, the development of efficient and optimal methodology for freeze-drying of foodstuff is relevant. Application of PEF as a pretreatment procedure may be useful for improving the efficiency of drying and the quality of dried products.     

“Ice” juice from apples obtained by pressing at subzero temperatures of apples pretreated by pulsed electric fields

The impact of apple pretreatment by pulsed electric field (PEF) on juice extraction using the freezing-assisted pressing was studied. Apple discs were PEF pretreated at electric field strength of E = 800 V/cm and then air blast frozen inside the freezer (− 40 °C). Then, pressing experiments in a laboratory-pressing chamber (2–5 bars) were started at sub-zero temperature (− 5 °C). Time evolution of juice yield and its nutritional qualities were compared for PEF and untreated apple samples. High improvements of juice yield were obtained for freeze-thawed (FT) and PEF + FT samples. The combination of PEF + pressing (5 bar) at sub-zero temperature gave optimum results for juice extraction with high levels of carbohydrates, and antioxidant bioactive compounds. At fixed value of extraction yield, Y, PEF pretreatment improved nutritional parameters. E.g., at Y = 0.6, an increase in °Brix (by ≈ 1.27), carbohydrates (by ≈ 1.42), total phenolic compounds (by ≈ 1.16), flavonoids (by ≈ 1.09) and antioxidant capacity (by ≈ 1.29) was observed after PEF pretreatment.Industrial relevancePressing constitutes one of the most commonly used technologies at industrial scale to obtain fruit juices. However, during the pressing some undesirable chemical, physical and biological changes may occur in juices, thus reducing their nutritional and sensorial properties. For instance, the use of freezing-assisted pressing is a promising technique for the production of juice concentrates rich in sugars and other solids as the low temperature operation prevents undesirable modifications. But this method is rather expensive and requires strong control of the quality of “ice” juices, their sensory and compositional profiles. Thus, there is an increased search for obtaining new efficient methodologies for producing high quality juices. In this line, PEF-assisted pressing has been shown as a useful technology to increase juice yield. Therefore, the combination of PEF-assisted “ice” juice extraction by pressing of fruits at subzero temperatures may be a useful tool to improve the extraction yield of juices, thus improving their nutritional, physicochemical and sensorial properties.Keywords: “Ice” juice, Apple, Pulsed electric fields, Freezing-assisted pressing     

Effect of thermosonication,pulsed electric field and their combination on inactivation of Listeria innocua in milk

The impact of thermosonication (TS) and pulsed electric field (PEF), individually and combined, on the survival of Listeria innocua 11288 (NCTC) in milk was investigated. TS (400 W, 160 s) without pre-heating reduced L. innocua by 1.2 log₁₀ cfu mL^?1, while shorter treatment times produced negligible inactivation, suggesting TS to be a hurdle rather than an effective standalone treatment. PEF (30 and 40 kV cm^?1, 50 μs) at 10 °C caused a reduction of L. innocua of 1.1 and 3.3 log cycles, respectively. The highest field strength (40 kV cm^?1) combined with TS (80 s) led to 6.8 log₁₀ cfu mL^?1 inactivation. Milk pre-heated to 55 °C (over 60 s) prior to TS followed by PEF (30 and 40 kV cm^?1) showed inactivation between 4.5 and 6.9 log₁₀ cfu mL^?1, the latter being comparable (P > 0.05) with thermal pasteurisation. The data indicate that TS followed by PEF represents a valid alternative for L. innocua inactivation in milk.     

Effect of pulsed electric field (PEF)-treated kombucha analogues from Quercus obtusata infusions on bioactives and microorganisms

Pulsed electric field (PEF) is a promising non-thermal food preservation technology. The objective was to study inactivation of yeasts in PEF-treated kombucha analogues prepared from Quercus obtusata infusions. Fermentation conditions of infusions from Q. obtusata were time (7 days), sugar (10%), starting culture (10%), and inoculum (2.5%, at 25 °C). The PEF treatment considered using square waves, an electric field strength (37.3–53.4 kV/cm), PEF processing time (445.3–1979.2 μs), an output temperature (18.31 ± 0.98 °C), an input energy (21.2 - 136.5 KJ/L), and two feed flow rates (51.42 and 102.85 L/h). pH, °Brix, color determinations, microbiological testing, total phenolic, flavonoid content, DPPH test, and UPLC/ESI/MS/MS analysis were done. No changes at different PEF conditions were observed for pH and °Brix. Higher color changes were observed at higher specific energies. Acid-acetic bacteria were more sensitive to PEF than yeasts. Lower specific energies render products with higher polyphenolic content and antioxidant capacity.Industrial relevancePulse electric field is an interesting alternative to preserve kombucha analogues from oak leave infusions with minimal changes in physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds. The present work describes the effect of feed flow and specific energy on the several characteristics of fermented beverages, determining conditions for best processing.     

Comparison of the application of high pressure and pulsed electric fields technologies on the selective inactivation of endogenous enzymes in tomato products

Application of novel technologies such as high pressure (HP) or pulsed electric fields (PEF) on the remaining activity of endogenous tomato pectinolytic enzymes such as Pectinmethylesterase (PME) and Polygalacturonase (PG), responsible for tomato products texture was studied. HP combined with temperature (200–800 MPa @ 55–75 °C), PEF (5.5–12.5 kV/cm, 0–12 ms treatment time) and thermally treated (55–75 °C) samples were studied. After thermal treatment, PG appeared to be more resistant than PME. Opposite behavior was observed for HP treated samples. For PME inactivation more intense P-T process conditions were necessary compared to PG. For PEF treatment, 98% inactivation was observed at 12.5 kV/cm and 6 ms for PME, and at 5.5 kV/cm and 11 ms for PG. PME appeared to be more HP and PEF resistant compared to PG. The results support the potential application of HP and PEF to selectively inactivate PG while partially retaining PME in tomato juices, aiming in improved tomato products' textural characteristics.Industrial relevanceThe aim of the tomato industry is to produce tomato products of desired textural and sensorial characteristics while increasing the yield by decreasing the evaporated water. This can be achieved by applying novel technologies such as high pressure (HP) processing or pulsed electric fields (PEF) that affect the remaining activity of the endogenous pectinolytic enzymes such as Pectinmethylesterase (PME) and Polygalacturonase (PG), responsible for the final texture leading to products with improved quality characteristics such as viscosity, color and consistency. However, HP treatment is a batch process and makes it difficult for the treatment of large quantities (production of small quantities of superior products could be the target of the application of HP technology), while PEF technology could be applied in line with the typical production flow of that kind of products before the cold break step.     

Effect of electric field and osmotic pre-treatments on quality of apples after freezing–thawing

This work discusses the effects of pulsed electric field (PEF), ohmic heating (OH), and osmotic (O) treatments on the structure of apple tissue and its freezing/thawing behaviour. Apple discs were treated at electric field strength E = 800 V/cm (PEF, isothermal regime) and E = 40 V/cm (OH, non-isothermal regime) to a high level of tissue disintegration (conductivity disintegration index Z was ≈ 0.98) and then were subjected to osmotic (O) treatment in the aqueous solution of glycerol (20 wt.%). The distribution of osmotic solution was practically homogeneous inside the disc of PEF-treated tissue and highly inhomogeneous in untreated and OH-treated samples. The freezing–thawing (FT) experiments (+ 20 °C → − 40 °C → + 20 °C) were done in order to reveal the effects of combined modes of treatment on the structure of apple tissue. The most pronounced reducing of both freezing and thawing times and strengthening of the apple texture were observed for PEF treatment.Industrial relevanceFreezing-assisted preservation of plant materials in the most natural-looking state with near-original texture and colours requires thorough optimization of freezing operation. In this study, the research of the impact of pulsed electrotechnologies combined with osmotic pre-treatment on the structure of apple tissue, its freezing/thawing behaviour and texture quality, is provided.