Pulsed Electric Field Technology

Course : Food Technology

Dr /Sarah Khalifeh
By : Rehab Ali
Outlines:
 Introduction:
1. Why processing foods?
2. Non-thermal processing
 Definition of PEF
 Principle
 Mechanism of MO Inactivation
 Conditions
 Components of the System
 Applications
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
 Limitations of PEF in solid Foods
 Video
 References
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 Introduction:
 The development of emerging technologies in food
processing addresses specific consumer needs toward
safe, healthy, and minimally processed foods.

 These innovative processes also lead to environmentally

friendly and sustainable food manufacturing techniques
with low energy requirements and reduced water use.

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 WHY PROCESSING
FOODS?
1. Extend shelf life
2. Maintain sensory properties
3. Maintain nutritive properties
4. Ensure safety
5. Make more convenient
6. Economic value
FOOD PROCESSING

THERMAL PROCESSING NONTHERMAL PROCESSING

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 Non-Thermal Processing:
 It is producing fresh like foods by replacing thermal
treatments.
 It produces minimally processed food with fresh quality and
higher nutritive value because of nutrients, color and flavor
retention.
 Examples:
 microwave heating
 high hydrostatic pressure (HHP)
 ultrasonication –
 PULSED ELECTRIC FIELD

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 Definition:
 PEF is the application of short pulses of high electric fields with
duration of microseconds micro- to milliseconds preserve the
food.
 PEF processing applies pulses with an electric field strength of
0.1–100 kV/cm to induce pore formation in cell membranes.
 The applied high voltage results in an electric field that causes
microbial inactivation.
 PEF is an alternative process to pasteurization and sterilization
methods.
 It is suitable for preserving liquid and semi-liquid foods
removing micro-organisms and producing functional
constituents. Examples:-milk, fruit juices, soup, egg etc.
 PEF is also called mild Preservation Technique.

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 Principle:
 The principle of this process is that the product is placed between two sets of electrodes and then
deliver electric current to the food.

 Food can transfer electricity due to the presence of ions. So, when an electrical field is applied,
electrical current flows into the food.

 A phenomenon known as “electroporation” occurs due to PEF exposure, which causes pores to form
in the cell membrane, permitting the escape of the cell's intracellular material.

 The food product experiences a force per unit charge, the so-called electric field, which is
responsible for the cell membrane breakdown in MOs .

 This enables the inactivation of vegetative cells of bacteria and yeasts in various foods.

 Hence, PEF technology has been suggested for the pasteurization of foods such as juices, milk,
yogurt, soups, and liquid eggs.

 However, PEF application to solid foods is still in its infancy compared to its application to liquid
foods. For example, PEF treatment of solid foods for preservation is unrealistic as most species of
microorganisms are not affected by low-intensity PEF treatment.
 Mechanism of Cell Inactivation:
The plasma membranes of cells become permeable to small molecules after being exposed to an electric field ,pore
formation in cell membranes. ; permeation then causes swelling and the eventual rupture of the cell membrane
of the micro-organism.

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Conditions:

 Processing temperature can be :

 • at ambient
 • sub-ambient
 • slightly above-ambient temperature

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 Components of the System:
A PEF system for food processing in general consists of three
basic components :
1. High voltage pulse generator.
2. Treatment chamber.
3. Control system for monitoring the process.
 A treatment chamber consists of at least two electrodes and
insulation that forms a volume, i.e., where the foods receive
pulses.
 The electrodes are made of inert materials, such as titanium

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Applications:

 Juice Processing
 Treatment of microalgae
 Treatment of seaweed, and other aquatic species
 Plant Oil Extraction
 Meat & Fish Treatment
 On microbial decontamination
 Sugar Processing
 Preservation of food

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PEF in Plant Oil Extraction:
• In fermentation and extraction of olives. PEF treatment can be
applied to raw olives at ambient temperature, leading to
softening of the olive tissues.
• Also, PEF is used for extraction of Maize germ oil and cotton
seed oil.
• • In soybean oil an increase in iso-flavonoid content was
reported.
• The advantages of olive tissue softening are:
I. easier olive fermentation
II. cold extraction of oil.
• Advantages of PEF in Plant Oil Extraction are:
• 1) Increased oil extraction yield.
• 2) Higher process efficiency.
• 3) Improved oil quality.
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 Milk Processing:
Pasteurization: New Milk Treatment Method:
 It has helped to reduce the health dangers associated with  The SMARTMILK project will develop a new milk
the bacteria found in milk and dairy products. treatment method by using (PEF) technology.
 However, it is unable to distinguish between good and  Previous research indicates that milk treated this way
harmful bacteria . retains more of its natural taste and nutritional
characteristics than pasteurized milk, while still being
 It can damage vitamin compounds found in milk.
very safe to drink.
 As a result, an increasing number of consumers purchase
unpasteurized or raw milk products which might lead to
microbial infections if these products are contaminated.

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 Treatment:
 Disintegration of animal cellular tissue is used to enhance the curing of fish
or meat products.

 In case of raw ham, a long-term curing and air drying is applied. During such
procedures, a PEF treatment can be applied to accelerate curing & reducing
the time requirements.

 An increase in mass transfer rates, resulting in faster water transport to the

product surface and therefore drying time can be reduced.

 This will lead to drastic saving of energy and better utilization of production
capacities during convective air drying.

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 Sugar Processing:
 In Conventional procedures for production of sugar from beets, disintegration and
destruction of cell membranes a thermal treatment at temperatures in the range from
70 to 78°C is applied.
 The membrane denaturation results in an acceleration of sugar release into the
extraction media, but also cell wall components such as pectin may become soluble
and can diminish juice purity and quality.
Benefits of PEF in Sugar Processing are:  A PEF treatment of sugar beets could increase mass transfer rates and could allow
1) Reduction of cutting force. to reduce extraction temperatures and better quality of sugar can be obtained.
2) Higher extraction and refining yields.  PEF causes tiny pores in the sugar beet cell walls, also known as cell
3) Enhanced juice and sugar purity. permeabilization, which facilitates sugar leaching.
5) Low energy requirement.  By permeabilizing cell membranes of sugar beets, PEF enables tissue softening and
6) Enhanced product handling by tissue enhanced mass transport, resulting in improved extraction of sucrose from sugar
softening. beets, higher product quality and purity and increased process capacity

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Amazing Effects of
Pulsed Electric Field on
Potato Chips:
Advantages of using PEF with potatoes:
 Ease of cutting (super smooth surface) and
 Reduced starch loss
 Reduced frying time to be significantly up to 30%
 Reduce the oil uptake to levels of around 25% resulting in a
lower fat intake per serving while maintaining the desired
mouth feel.
 Improves overall crispiness .

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 Advantages:
 Less treatment time.

 Extension of shelf life from 7 to 21 days while maintaining superior taste and freshness
as compared to thermal processing.

 Minimally processed foods of fresh quality, which have higher nutritional value because
of color and flavor retention.

 At a temperature below 30-40°C, it can operate at to retain quality and heat- sensitive
vitamins. .

 Physical properties of food are maintained..

 PEF inactivates vegetative micro-organisms including yeasts, spoilage micro-organisms

and pathogens.

 Reduction in microorganisms which can be used to pasteurize fluids such as juices, milk
and soups without using additives.

 Used for pasteurization and sometimes for sterilization combined with other
preservation techniques, such as reduction of pH, temperature elevation, and high-
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pressure processing.
 Disadvantages:
 High capital cost.
 Micro-organisms are destroyed by PEF but spores, with their tough protective coats, and dehydrated cells can survive.

 Treatment does not inactivate enzymes

 Refrigeration is required to extend shelf-life.

 PEF is a continuous processing method, which is not suitable for solid food products that are not pump able
 PEF processing is restricted to food products with no air bubbles and with low electrical conductivity.
 Only suitable for liquids or particles in liquids
 Only effective in combination with heat
 Energy efficiency not yet certain
 May be problems with scaling-up process

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 Limitations of PEF in Solid Food Processing:
 PEF application to solid foods is still in its
infancy compared to PEF application to
liquid foods.
 There are many potential bacterial pathogens
in meat and seafood, such as Salmonella
species, Escherichia coli, Clostridium
botulinum, Listeria
monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus,
and Vibrio parahaemolyticus .
 It is more difficult to inactivate
microorganisms in solid foods than in dilute
foods.

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A Video to Summarize

https://youtu.be/wuJcH_pNTe4
 References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814622023299?via%3Dihub
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22129381/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214799322000947
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/pulsed-electric-field

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