23-6 |
High intensity electric field pulse assisted process |
D. KNORR, Dept. of Food Biotechnology & Process Engineering, Berlin Univ. of Technology, Koenigin-Luise-Str. 22, Berlin, D-14195, Germany Pulsed electric field treatment can be applied to induce stress responses in biological systems as well as to reversibly or irreversibly permeabilize biological membranes. All three applications allow the development of new and unique processes to induce or increase the production of primary or secondary metabolites, to improve mass transfer of food constituents in and out of biological systems and to reversibly or irreversibly affect the viability of biological systems. Further, the process variables including critical field strength, total energy input, pulse geometry and frequency as well as treatment chamber design and the point of application of using pulsed electric fields as unit operation within food processing operation provide ample opportunities for process development. Examples are given on the use of pulsed electric field technology to improve mass transfer in subsequent processing of plant materials including dehydration, extraction and expression as well as demonstrate the potential of stress induction for metabolite production or the use of controlled permeabilization of biological membranes for targeted and controlled release of plant and microbial metabolites. In addition, the development of electric field pulse assited thermal processing for food preservation purposes will be discussed.
Session 23, Pulsed electric fields: An update
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