Pulsed electric field inactivation of microorganisms: from fundamental biophysics to synergistic treatments

The growth of antibiotic resistant microorganisms and the increasing demand for nonthermal antimicrobial treatment in the food and beverage industry motivates research into alternative inactivation methods. Pulsed electric fields (PEFs) provide an athermal method for inactivating microorganisms by creating nanometer-sized membrane pores in microorganisms, inducing cell death when the PEF duration and intensity are sufficient such that the pores cannot reseal after the PEFs through a process referred to as irreversible electroporation. While PEF inactivation has been studied for several decades, recent studies have focused on extending the technique to various liquids in the food industry and optimizing microorganism inactivation while minimizing adverse effects to the treated sample. This minireview will assess the biophysical mechanisms and theory of PEF-induced cellular interactions and summarize recent advances in applying this technology for microorganism inactivation alone and synergistically in combination with other technologies, including temperature, pressure, natural ingredients, and pharmaceuticals.