Preservation of liquid foods by high intensity pulsed electric fields - basic concepts for process design

In excess of a critical transmembrane potential Delta (rhoM) of -1 V produced by high intensity pulsed electric fields a rapid electrical breakdown and local conformational changes of cell membranes occur which result in a drastic increase in permeability and an equilibration of the electrochemical and electrical potential differences of the cell plasma and the extracellular medium. As irreverible membrane permeabilization impairs most vital physiological control systems, high intensity pulsed electric fields may be applied as a highly effective process for the microbial decontamination of liquid foods. The efficiency of the treatment is largely, influenced by the inherent properties of the foods and of the spoiling microorganisms. In addition a number of technical limitations have to be considered. In this review an approach is presented which reduces the diversity of parameters that affect microbial inactivation during pulsed power treatment, In particular, the required total specific energy input is discussed. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.