Food Processing by Pulse Electric Field: A Review

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to know about the effects of pulse electric field on food and compare it with other thermal methods of food processing. Food quality, food safety, convenience, freshness, healthy food, natural flavor and taste with extended shelf-life are the main criteria for the demand made by today’s consumers. Thermal methods of food preservation gives low quality food as compare to non-thermally treated food product. Pulse Electric Field processing (PEF) is a non-thermal processing technology to kill microorganism present in food by the application of short pulses of high electric fields for micro-seconds to milliseconds. It preserves the flavor of foods, vitamin content, and color of foods. PEF technology aims to offer consumers high-quality foods product. PEF technology is considered superior to traditional thermal processing methods because it greatly reduces detrimental changes in the sensory and physical properties of foods. It can be used in replace of thermally processed food because it produces the foods that have the good quality as compare to thermally processed food.