RECENT ADVANCES IN THE APPLICATIONS OF NON - THERMAL TECHNOLOGIES AS EFFECTIVE FOOD PROCESSING TECHNIQUES

K.R. JOLVIS POU¹*
¹Department of Agricultural Engineering, Triguna Sen School of Technology, Assam University, Silchar-788011, India
* Corresponding Author : jolvispou@gmail.com

Received : 17-10-2015     Accepted : 02-11-2015     Published : 07-12-2015
Volume : 7     Issue : 12       Pages : 801 - 808
Int J Agr Sci 7.12 (2015):801-808

Keywords : Food processing, HPP, irradiation, Magnetic field, Non-thermal, PEF and ultrasound
Academic Editor : Ephrem Guchi, Erico Da Silva Lima, Khathutshelo A. Tshikolomo, Maria Pele, Aluizio Freire Da Silva Junior
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : The author gratefully acknowledge honorable Vice Chancellor, Assam University, Dean, Triguna Sen School of Technology, Assam University and Head of the Department, Agricultural Engineering, Assam University for providing all the necessary facilities and opportunity to carry out this study. The author pays homage to all the researchers in the field of non-thermal food processing technologies.
Author Contribution : None declared

Thermal processing effectively reduces the number of microorganisms. However, not only the self-life but also the quality attributes of the food is necessary for the consumers. In response to the public health concerns and the preference of customers, researchers and scientists are under intense research and development to utilize the potential of non thermal technologies as an alternative or complimentary process to traditional methods of food processing. Recent advances in emerging food-processing technologies, such as high pressure, pulse electric field, ultrasound, magnetic field and irradiation amongst others have exhibited the fresh-like, palatable, microbiologically safe, high quality and additive free food products. Extensive investigations in the last decade have revealed the potential of non -thermal technologies as promising food processing techniques. In this paper, the aspects associated with applying non-thermal technologies as food processing methods are reviewed, including its working mechanism and its application in the food processing.