FOOD ALLERGENS

DEFINITION

• AN ALLERGEN IS ANY NORMALLY HARMLESS SUBSTANCE THAT CAUSES AN

IMMEDIATE ALLERGIC REACTION IN A SUSCEPTIBLE PERSON. FOOD ALLERGENS
ARE ALMOST ALWAYS PROTEINS ALTHOUGH OTHER FOOD CONSTITUENTS, SUCH
AS CERTAIN ADDITIVES, ARE KNOWN TO HAVE ALLERGENIC (ALLERGY-CAUSING)
PROPERTIES.
 IMMUNITY

• AN ALLERGEN IS A SUBSTANCE THAT CAN CAUSE AN ALLERGIC REACTION. IN

SOME PEOPLE, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM RECOGNIZES ALLERGENS AS FOREIGN OR
DANGEROUS. AS A RESULT, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM REACTS BY MAKING A TYPE OF
ANTIBODY CALLED IGE TO DEFEND AGAINST THE ALLERGEN. THIS REACTION
LEADS TO ALLERGY SYMPTOMS.
 NUMBER OF FOOD ALLERGENS

• CELERY, CEREALS CONTAINING GLUTEN (SUCH AS BARLEY AND OATS),

CRUSTACEANS (SUCH AS PRAWNS, CRABS AND LOBSTERS), EGGS, FISH, LUPIN,
MILK, MOLLUSCS (SUCH AS MUSSELS AND OYSTERS), MUSTARD, PEANUTS,
SESAME, SOYBEANS, SULPHUR DIOXIDE AND SULPHITES (IF THE SULPHUR
DIOXIDE AND SULPHITES ARE AT A CONCENTRATION OF MORE THAN TEN PARTS
PER MILLION) AND TREE NUTS (SUCH AS ALMONDS, HAZELNUTS, WALNUTS,
BRAZIL NUTS, CASHEWS, PECANS, PISTACHIOS AND MACADAMIA NUTS).
 MAJOR FOOD ALLERGENS

• THESE MAJOR FOOD ALLERGENS MAKE UP 90% OF FOOD ALLERGIC REACTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES:
• MILK
• EGGS
• FISH (E.G., BASS, FLOUNDER, COD)
• CRUSTACEAN SHELLFISH (E.G., CRAB, LOBSTER, SHRIMP)
• TREE NUTS (E.G., ALMONDS, WALNUTS, PECANS)
• PEANUTS
• WHEAT

1. SOYBEANS
 CAUSES FOR FOOD ALLERGIES

• FOOD ALLERGIES HAPPEN WHEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM – THE BODY’S DEFENCE
AGAINST INFECTION – MISTAKENLY TREATS PROTEINS FOUND IN FOOD AS A
THREAT. AS A RESULT, A NUMBER OF CHEMICALS ARE RELEASED. IT’S THESE
CHEMICALS THAT CAUSE THE SYMPTOMS OF AN ALLERGIC REACTION.
 HOW TO DETERMINE

• A BLOOD TEST
• A BLOOD TEST CAN MEASURE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM’S RESPONSE TO
PARTICULAR FOODS BY MEASURING THE ALLERGY-RELATED ANTIBODY KNOWN
AS IMMUNOGLOBULIN E (IGE). FOR THIS TEST, A BLOOD SAMPLE TAKEN IN YOUR
DOCTOR’S OFFICE IS SENT TO A MEDICAL LABORATORY, WHERE DIFFERENT
FOODS CAN BE TESTED.
 NUMBER 1 FOOD ALLERGY

• PEANUT ALLERGIES ARE AMONG THE MOST COMMON AND MOST FATAL OF THE
FOOD ALLERGIES, CAUSING ANAPHYLAXIS MORE OFTEN. FOR SOME, EVEN A
LITTLE CONTACT WITH PEANUTS CAN CAUSE AN ENORMOUS REACTION.
 PREVENTION

• THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT A FOOD ALLERGY REACTION IS TO COMPLETELY

AVOID THE FOOD AND ANY PRODUCT THAT MAY CONTAIN IT AS AN INGREDIENT.
FOOD INTOLERANCE DOES NOT TRIGGER THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND IS NOT LIFE
THREATENING OR THE SAME AS A FOOD ALLERGY, ALTHOUGH IT MAY SHARE
SIMILAR SYMPTOMS LIKE DIARRHEA AND STOMACH PAIN
 PROTEIN FAMILIES

• AMONG OVER 400 DESCRIBED FOOD ALLERGENS, ONLY 71 OF 16,712 (0.004%)

PROTEIN FAMILIES ARE REPRESENTED, AND THE TOP 20 (0.0012%) PROTEIN
FAMILIES ACCOUNT FOR 80% OF ALL DESCRIBED FOOD ALLERGENS,
SUGGESTING THAT FOOD ALLERGENS SHARE COMMON CHARACTERISTICS THAT
RENDER THEM ALLERGENIC.
OHMIC HEATING
 DEFINITION

• OHMIC HEATING (ALSO REFERRED TO AS JOULE HEATING) IS DEFINED AS A

PROCESS WHEREIN (PRIMARILY ALTERNATING) ELECTRIC CURRENTS ARE
PASSED THROUGH FOODS OR OTHER MATERIALS WITH THE PRIMARY PURPOSE
OF HEATING THEM. HEATING OCCURS IN THE FORM OF INTERNAL ENERGY
GENERATION WITHIN THE MATERIAL.
 PURPOSE

• OHMIC HEATING MAY BE USED TO HEAT FOOD INTERNALLY BY PASSING AN

ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH IT, THEREBY REDUCING POTENTIAL THERMAL
ABUSE OF TREATED PRODUCT UNLIKE CONVENTIONAL HEATING, WHERE SLOW
HEAT PENETRATION OCCURS
 EQUIPMENT

• EQUIPMENT DESIGNS THAT ARE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE INCLUDE

ELECTRODES THAT ARE LOCATED AT VARIOUS POSITIONS ALONG THE LENGTH
OF THE PRODUCT FLOW PATH (IN-LINE FIELD), OR ALTERNATIVELY LOCATED
PERPENDICULAR TO THE FLOW (CROSS-FIELD) WHICH IMPACTS ON GENERAL
OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM.
 FOOD

• IT IS A RESISTANCE HEATING TECHNIQUE FOR LIQUIDS AND PUMPABLE PARTICLES . IT CONSISTS OF

EQUIPMENT FOR PASSING ALTERNATIVE CURRENT THROUGH THE FLUID BETWEEN ELECTRODES .
OHMIC HEATING IS USED IN A WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS SUCH AS PASTEURIZATION,
STERILIZATION, PREHEATING, BLANCHING
• OHMIC HEATING IS GOOD FOR LIQUID PRODUCTS, MILK DESSERTS, YOGHURTS, EGGS, FRUIT JUICES,
CONDIMENTS, GELATINE, WINE, AND HYDROCOLLOIDS, ETC WHICH HAVE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY
GREATER THAN 0.05 S/M
• IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT OHMIC HEATING CAN BE USED FOR MEAT BATTERS AND ALSO IN
PREPARATION OF FISH BASED PRODUCTS SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED A NUMBER OF ASPECTS
FOR THE APPLICATION OF OHMIC HEATING WITHIN THE FOOD INDUSTRY, FOR EXAMPLE, ITS POTENTIAL
TO INCREASE DYE DIFFUSION IN BEET
 APPLICATIONS

• OHMIC HEATING IN APPLICABLE IN:

• THAWING
• MEAT BALL COOKING AND POULTRY PRODUCTS
• EXTRACTION
• BLANCHING
• PASTEURIZATION
• DRYING
• EXPRESSION
• STABLIZATION OF RAW RICE BRAN
 ADVANTAGE

• THE PRINCIPAL ADVANTAGE CLAIMED FOR OHMIC HEATING IS ITS ABILITY TO HEAT
MATERIALS RAPIDLY AND UNIFORMLY, INCLUDING PRODUCTS CONTAINING PARTICULATES.
THE PRINCIPAL MECHANISMS OF MICROBIAL INACTIVATION IN OHMIC HEATING ARE THERMAL
• (1) THERE IS NO LIMIT AS PENETRATION DEPTH LIKE MICROWAVE HEATING
• (2) RAPID HEATING
• (3) THERE IS NO HOT SURFACES, SURFACE FOULING, OR HEAT DAMAGE TO SENSITIVE FOODS
• (4) HEATING POSSIBILITY OF VISCOUS LIQUIDS
• (5) LOW COST
 LIQUID FOODS

• IN FOOD PRODUCTION PROCESS, UNLESS THE PRIOR PARAMETER FOR CONCERNING

PRODUCT SAFETY AND QUALITY IS MICROBIAL INACTIVATION, THE PRESENCE OF
CRITICAL AMOUNTS OF CERTAIN MICROORGANISMS MAY LEAD TO PRODUCT
DETERIORATION, QUALITY LOSS, AND/OR HEALTH PROBLEMS
• BASICALLY, THE HEAT TRANSFER IN AN OHMIC HEATING SYSTEM , COMPOSED OF
AC SUPPLY, A VARIANCE, MEASUREMENT UNITS OF CURRENT, VOLTAGE AND
TEMPERATURE, AN OHMIC HEATER TEST UNIT, AND DIGITAL SYSTEM TO RECORD
DATA, CAN BE EXPLAINED FOR LIQUID FOOD BY THE FOLLOWING HEAT
CONDUCTION EQUATION WITH AN INTERNAL HEAT GENERATION
• HEATING OF LIQUID FOODS CONTAINING PARTICLES IS A CHALLENGING TASK
FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY THAT SHOULD BE OVERCOME (BINGÖL, 2015). IT WAS
REPORTED THAT FRUIT JUICES COULD BE HEATED BY OHMIC HEATING DUE TO
THEIR HIGH ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY VALUES
MICROWAVE HEATING
 DEFINITION

• MICROWAVE HEATING IS A PROCESS WHEREBY MICROWAVES PRODUCED BY

MAGNETRONS ARE DIRECTED TOWARD REACTANTS OR HEATING MEDIUM,
WHICH ABSORB THE ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY VOLUMETRICALLY TO
ACHIEVE SELF-HEATING UNIFORMLY AND RAPIDLY.
 MICROWAVE HEATING IN FOOD

• MICROWAVE PROCESSING IS HEATING THROUGH THE INTERACTION OF

ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION WITH THE “DIELECTRIC” PROPERTIES OF FOODS.
THESE PROPERTIES CREATE POLARISATION WITHIN A SUBSTANCE WHEN
EXPOSED TO AN EXTERNAL ELECTRIC FIELD
 EXAMPLE

• A MICROWAVE OVEN (COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A MICROWAVE) IS AN

ELECTRIC OVEN THAT HEATS AND COOKS FOOD BY EXPOSING IT TO
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN THE MICROWAVE FREQUENCY RANGE. THIS
INDUCES POLAR MOLECULES IN THE FOOD TO ROTATE AND PRODUCE THERMAL
ENERGY IN A PROCESS KNOWN AS DIELECTRIC HEATING.
 ADVANTAGES

UNLIKE OTHER HEATING METHODS THE DIELECTRIC HEATING CAN EFFECT

HIGHER TEMPERATURE INSIDE THE PRODUCT THAN ON ITS SURFACE.
• DUE TO THE HEATING OF THE MATERIAL THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE VOLUME
THE HIGH UNIFORMITY OF WARMING IS REACHED AS WELL AS MORE PRECISE
TEMPERATURE REGULATION. OVERHEATING OF CERTAIN PARTS (TO THE
OVERCRITICAL DAMAGING TEMPERATURE) OF THE PRODUCT CAN BE BETTER
PREVENTED THIS WAY.
• MICROWAVES ARE CONVENIENT TO USE, THEY DO NOT BURN FOOD, THEY ARE
HIGHLY ECONOMICAL AND THEY HEAT FOOD FASTER AND HEALTHIER THAN
OTHER METHODS. ON THE FLIP SIDE, YOU’LL NEED TO USE MICROWAVE-SAFE
VESSELS FOR COOKING
THE PRODUCTS CAN BE TREATED IN THE SUITABLE PACKAGING SINCE THE
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES EFFECT DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE THERMAL
CONDUCTIVITY AND IS NOT INFLUENCED BY THE EXTERNAL ISOLATING LAYERS.

DIELECTRIC HEATING TREATMENT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT

RESULTING IN COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND ITS HIGHER SALABILITY.
• COMPARABLE EFFICIENCY OF TREATMENT OR SIMILAR PROCESS SOLUTION IS
HARDLY ACHIEVABLE OR EVEN IMPOSSIBLE BY CONVENTIONAL HEATING
METHOD IN MANY CASES.
 IMPACT ON HEALTH

• MICROWAVES, IN ADDITION TO RADIO WAVES AND VISIBLE LIGHT, ARE ALL NON-
IONIZING RADIATION. THE ONLY NON-IONIZING RADIATION THAT CAUSES
CANCER IS UV LIGHT. SO OVERALL, MICROWAVE OVENS ARE SAFE TO USE AND
WILL NOT CAUSE CANCER OR ANY OTHER ADVERSE HEALTH CONDITIONS
 THINGS NOT TO MICROWAVE

• MATERIAL
• ALUMINIUM FOIL
• ANYTHING WITH METAL OR STAINLESS STEEL
• SINGLE-USE PLASTIC
• TAKEOUT CONTAINERS
• STYROFOAM
• FOOD
• WATER
• EGG
• RAW SPICY PEPPER
• FROZEN PROTEIN
• BROCCOLI
• UNCOVERED PASTA SAUCE
 PRINCIPLE

• THE PRINCIPLE OF MICROWAVE COOKING IS CONVERSION OF

ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY INTO THERMAL ENERGY WITHIN MEAT. DURING
COOKING, MICROWAVE ENERGY IS ABSORBED BY ROTATION OF WATER
MOLECULES AND TRANSLATION OF IONIC COMPONENTS IN MEAT; THE WATER
CONTENT AND THE DISSOLVED ION CONTENT ARE, THEREFORE, IMPORTANT
FACTORS.
 APPLICATIONS

• MICROWAVES HAVE BEEN APPLIED IN A BROAD RANGE OF FOOD PROCESSING

SUCH AS DRYING, TEMPERING, BLANCHING, COOKING, PASTEURIZATION,
STERILIZATION, AND BAKING. MICROWAVE HEATING HAS CONSIDERABLE
ADVANTAGES OVER CONVENTIONAL HEATING METHODS, ESPECIALLY WITH
REGARD TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY.
 DISADVANTAGES

• MICROWAVES DO HAVE SOME DOWNSIDES. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY MAY NOT BE AS

EFFECTIVE AS OTHER COOKING METHODS AT KILLING BACTERIA AND OTHER
PATHOGENS THAT MAY LEAD TO FOOD POISONING. THAT’S BECAUSE THE HEAT
TENDS TO BE LOWER AND THE COOKING TIME MUCH SHORTER. SOMETIMES,
FOOD HEATS UNEVENLY.
PULSE ELECTRIC FIELD
 DEFINITION

• PULSED ELECTRIC FIELDS PEF IS A NON-THERMAL METHOD OF FOOD

PRESERVATION THAT USES SHORT PULSES OF ELECTRICITY FOR MICROBIAL
INACTIVATION AND CAUSES MINIMAL DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON FOOD QUALITY
ATTRIBUTES.
 AIMS

• PEF TECHNOLOGY AIMS TO OFFER CONSUMERS HIGH-QUALITY FOODS. FOR

FOOD QUALITY ATTRIBUTES, PEF TECHNOLOGY IS CONSIDERED SUPERIOR TO
TRADITIONAL THERMAL PROCESSING METHODS BECAUSE IT AVOIDS OR
GREATLY REDUCES DETRIMENTAL CHANGES IN THE SENSORY AND PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF FOODS.
 ADVANTAGES

• PEF TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN PRESENTED AS ADVANTAGEOUS IN COMPARISON

TO, FOR INSTANCE, HEAT TREATMENTS, BECAUSE IT KILLS MICROORGANISMS
WHILE BETTER MAINTAINING THE ORIGINAL COLOR, FLAVOR, TEXTURE, AND
NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF THE UNPROCESSED FOOD. PEF TECHNOLOGY INVOLVES
THE APPLICATION OF PULSES OF HIGH VOLTAGE TO LIQUID OR SEMI-SOLID
FOODS PLACED BETWEEN TWO ELECTRODES. MOST PEF STUDIES HAVE FOCUSED
ON PEF TREATMENTS EFFECTS ON THE MICROBIAL INACTIVATION IN MILK, MILK
PRODUCTS, EGG PRODUCTS, JUICE AND OTHER LIQUID FOODS
 WORKING

• ELECTRIC FIELDS IN THE RANGE OF 5-50 KV/CM GENERATED BY THE

APPLICATION OF SHORT HIGH VOLTAGE PULSES (ΜS) BETWEEN TWO
ELECTRODES CAUSE MICROBIAL INACTIVATION AT TEMPERATURES BELOW
THOSE USED IN THERMAL PROCESSING.
 PEF AND LIQUID FOODS

• APPLE AND ORANGE JUICES ARE AMONG THE FOODS MOST OFTEN TREATED IN
PEF STUDIES. THE SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF JUICES ARE REPORTED TO BE WELL
PRESERVED, AND THE SHELF LIFE IS EXTENDED. YOGURT DRINKS, APPLE SAUCE,
AND SALAD DRESSING HAVE ALSO BEEN SHOWN TO RETAIN A FRESH-LIKE
QUALITY WITH EXTENDED SHELF LIFE AFTER PROCESSING. OTHER PEF-
PROCESSED FOODS INCLUDE MILK, TOMATO JUICE, CARROT JUICE, PEA SOUP,
LIQUID WHOLE EGG AND LIQUID EGG PRODUCTS.
 DURATION

• APPLICATION OF PULSED ELECTRIC FIELDS OF HIGH INTENSITY AND DURATION

FROM MICROSECONDS TO MILLISECONDS MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY OR
PERMANENT PERMEABILIZATION OF CELL MEMBRANES. THE EFFECTS OF PEF ON
BIOMEMBRANES HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY STUDIED SINCE THE USE OF PEF HAS
ATTRACTED GREAT INTEREST IN SEVERAL SCIENTIFIC AREAS SUCH AS CELL
BIOLOGY, BIOTECHNOLOGY, MEDICINE, OR FOOD TECHNOLOGY
 APPLICATIONS

• DRYING
• FREEZING
• PRESERVATION
• MICROBIAL INACTIVATION
• SPORE INACTIVATION
• ENZYME INACTIVATION
• EXTRACTION OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS
• STARCH MODIFICATION
• WASTE VALORISATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY
HIGH PRESSURE PROCESSING
 DEFINITION

• HIGH PRESSURE PROCESSING OR HIGH HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE PROCESSING IS

A METHOD OF PRESERVING AND STERILIZING FOOD, IN WHICH A PRODUCT IS
PROCESSED UNDER VERY HIGH PRESSURE, LEADING TO THE INACTIVATION OF
CERTAIN MICROORGANISMS AND ENZYMES IN THE FOOD
 ADVANTAGES

SAFER FOODS. FOOD PROCESSED BY HPP HAVE A LONGER SHELF LIFE AND LOWER
CHANCE OF SPOILAGE, WITHOUT THE USE OF PRESERVATIVES.

FRESH, NATURAL TASTE. HPP DESTROYS LISTERIA AND OTHER DANGEROUS

PATHOGENS WITHOUT ALTERING THE FLAVOR AND TEXTURE OF THE PRODUCT.
• RETENTION OF NUTRIENTS.
 EQUIPMENT

• AN ALTERNATIVE TO THERMAL PROCESSING, HIGH PRESSURE PROCESSING (HPP)

SUBJECTS PRODUCTS SUCH AS PACKAGED FOODS TO PRESSURES AS HIGH AS
100,000 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH (PSI) TO DESTROY PATHOGENS WITHOUT
DIMINISHING PRODUCT QUALITY. OFTEN, HPP EQUIPMENT IS USED TO DESTROY
LISTERIA, E.
 WORKING

FOODS ARE PRE-PACKAGED IN EITHER A VACUUM-PACK BAG OR IN A FLEXIBLE PLASTIC BOTTLE. HARD MATERIALS SUCH AS GLASS OR
METAL CANNOT BE USED. THE PACKAGING MUST BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND A VOLUME CHANGE OF UP TO 15%, FOLLOWED BY A RETURN
TO ITS ORIGINAL SIZE, WITHOUT LOSING SEAL INTEGRITY OR BARRIER PROPERTIES.

THE PACKAGED ITEMS ARE PLACED IN THE PRESSURE VESSEL. THE VESSEL IS SEALED AND FILLED WITH WATER. A PRESSURE
INTENSIFIER PUMPS PRESSURISED WATER INTO THE VESSEL, CREATING HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE. THE PRESSURE IS THEREFORE
TRANSMITTED VIA THE WATER INTO THE FOOD. THE PRESSURE APPLIED IS UNIFORM AND INSTANTANEOUS REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE
AND SHAPE OF THE FOOD. THE PRESSURE IS MAINTAINED FOR A PRE-DETERMINED TIME (USUALLY BETWEEN 30 SECONDS AND 15
MINUTES).

• DURING THIS TIME MOST OF THE FOOD POISONING AND SPOILAGE MICROORGANISMS ARE KILLED. WHEN THE PRESSURE CYCLE IS
COMPLETE, THE VESSEL IS DEPRESSURISED ALMOST INSTANTANEOUSLY. THE VESSEL IS OPENED AND THE PRODUCT MAY THEN BE
REMOVED.
 DISADVANTAGES

• THESE SPORES REQUIRE A COMBINATION OF PRESSURE AND HEAT, OR SOME

OTHER ANTIBACTERIAL INTERVENTION IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE THEM. HPP CAN
CAUSE UNDESIRABLE SENSORY CHANGES IN CERTAIN FOODSTUFFS. IN FOODS
LIKE EGGS, THE DENATURATION OF PROTEIN CAN BE VISUALLY APPARENT
 SHELF-LIFE DURATION

• THE H.P.P. TECHNOLOGY BECAME POPULAR WITH COLD-PRESSED JUICES

BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A NON-THERMAL FOOD SAFETY KILL STEP, EXTENDING A
COLD-PRESSED JUICE’S UNOPENED REFRIGERATED SHELF LIFE FROM A WEEK TO
ABOUT 30 DAYS.
 NON SUITABLE PRODUCTS

• ANY DRY PRODUCT SUCH AS POWDERED FOOD MATRICES, EXTRACTS, AND DRY
SPICES, IS NOT A GOOD TARGET FOR HPP TECHNOLOGY. ISOSTATIC PRESSURE
NEEDS WATER INSIDE OF THE FOOD PRODUCT FOR ITS HOMOGENEOUS,
UNIFORM, EFFICIENT TRANSMISSION AND CONSEQUENTLY TO CAUSE
INACTIVATION OF THE MICROORGANISMS PRESENT IN THE PRODUCT.
 HPP AND PASTEURIZATION

• HPP TREATMENT DIFFERS CONSIDERABLY FROM PASTEURISATION, ALTHOUGH

THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE IS THE SAME: TO EFFECTIVELY ELIMINATE
MICROORGANISMS IN FOODS. ONE METHOD USES TEMPERATURE, THE OTHER
HIGH PRESSURE, A TECHNIQUE THAT OFFERS SOME REMARKABLE ADVANTAGES
 COST

• TO PURCHASE AND SET UP ONE HPP MACHINE, IT COSTS NEARLY $3 MILLION.

PLUS, ONCE YOU HAVE THE MACHINE, YOU NEED A 24-HOUR SUPPORT TEAM FOR
MAINTENANCE.
 SUITABLE FOOD

• HPP IS SUITABLE FOR FOODS THAT HAVE A HIGH WATER CONTENT. IT IS

PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR RAW FOODS, WHEN RETENTION OF FRESH
CHARACTERISTICS IS IMPORTANT, AS THE TREATMENT DOES NOT SIGNIFICANTLY
ALTER FLAVOUR, TEXTURE OR APPEARANCE
 SUITABLE FOOD

• HPP IS SUITABLE FOR FOODS THAT HAVE A HIGH WATER CONTENT. IT IS

PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR RAW FOODS, WHEN RETENTION OF FRESH
CHARACTERISTICS IS IMPORTANT, AS THE TREATMENT DOES NOT SIGNIFICANTLY
ALTER FLAVOUR, TEXTURE OR APPEARANCE. HPP PRODUCTS THAT ARE
COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE INCLUDE FRUIT JUICES AND
SMOOTHIES, FRUIT PUREES, JAMS AND JELLIES, AVOCADO HALVES AND
GUACAMOLE, SHELLFISH (INCLUDING OYSTERS, LOBSTER AND CRAB), CURED
HAM, TAPAS SELECTIONS, READY-TO-EAT MEALS, COOKED MEATS, WET SALADS
AND DIPS (INCLUDING COLESLAW, SALSAS AND HUMMUS).
 APPLICATIONS

• APPLICATIONS OF HPP INCLUDE ITS USE AS A “COLD PASTEURIZATION” METHOD

FOR FRUIT JUICES, A MEANS OF SANITIZING PACKAGED READY-TO-EAT MEATS,
AND INACTIVATION OF SPOILAGE ENZYMES TO ENHANCE REFRIGERATION
SHELF-LIFE OF AVOCADOS AND GUACAMOLE. HIGH PRESSURE CAN ALSO
SEPARATE RAW SHELLFISH MEAT FROM ITS SHELL.
• INACTIVATION OF HAV VIRUS
• FOOD CONTAMINATION
HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELD
 DEFINITION

• HIGH ELECTROSTATIC FIELD (HEF) ELECTROSTATIC MEANS THAT NO CURRENTS

OR VARYING VOLTAGES OCCUR DURING THE EXPERIMENT. TO CREATE A
UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELD, PARALLEL PLATE ELECTRODES ARE USUALLY USED.
THE ELECTRIC FIELD BETWEEN THE TWO ELECTRODES IS EQUAL EXCLUDING
THE EDGE OF THE ELECTRODE DUE TO FIELDS’ ENHANCEMENT.
 WHAT DOES HIGH VOLTAGE MEANS

• THIS ALSO MEANS THAT IF THE VOLTAGE BETWEEN THE TWO POINTS IS HIGHER,
IT’S AN INDICATION OF STRONGER ELECTRIC FIELD IN THE SPACE BETWEEN
THEM
• THE GREATER THE VOLTAGE, THE GREATER THE ELECTRIC FIELD IN A CIRCUIT
AND THE GREATER THE ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY PER CHARGE
TRANSFORMED AS CHARGES MOVE IN THE CIRCUIT
 CLASSIFICATION

• HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELD CAN BE CLASSIFIED IN TWO MAIN CATEGORIES:

HEF AND HVED.
• HEF HAS BEEN USED AS AN ASSISTING METHOD TO IMPROVE FROZEN FOOD
QUALITY OR FOOD REFRIGERATION.
• HVED IS USED TO ENHANCE HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER DURING FOOD
PROCESSING.
 HVED

• HVED HAS BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY IN THE FOOD DRYING AND BIOCOMPOUND
EXTRACTION.
• HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE IS A PROCESS BY WHICH A CURRENT
FLOWS FROM AN ELECTRODE WITH A HIGH POTENTIAL INTO A NEUTRAL FLUID,
BY IONIZING THAT FLUID A REGION OF PLASMA AROUND THE ELECTRODE IS
BEING CREATED.
• HVED COULD BE HAPPEN IN PARTIAL OR COMPLETE BREAKDOWN AND BOTH OF
THEM ARE USED IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY. SEVERAL TYPES OF PARTIAL
DISCHARGES IN GASEOUS MEDIUM HAVE BEEN KNOWN SUCH AS GLOW
DISCHARGE, DIELECTRIC BARRIER DISCHARGE AND CORONA DISCHARGE BUT
AMONG THEM THE CORONA DISCHARGE HAS DRAWN MORE ATTENTION IN FOOD
INDUSTRY THAN OTHERS.
ULTRASOUND
 DEFINITION

• ULTRASOUND IS COMPOSED OF MECHANICAL SOUND WAVES THAT ORIGINATE

FROM MOLECULAR MOVEMENTS THAT OSCILLATE IN A PROPAGATION MEDIUM.
THE WAVES HAVE A VERY HIGH FREQUENCY, EQUAL TO APPROXIMATELY 20 KHZ,
ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO CATEGORIES (I.E., LOW-INTENSITY AND HIGH-INTENSITY
WAVES) AND CANNOT BE PERCEIVED BY THE HUMAN EAR
 USES IN FOOD

• ULTRASOUND HAS BEEN USED TO ENHANCE OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION OF FRUITS

AND VEGETABLES. MOISTURE TRANSFER RATES ARE FASTER AND SUGAR
UPTAKE IS GREATER WHEN ULTRASOUND IS INCORPORATED DURING OSMOTIC
DEHYDRATION. AIRBORNE ULTRASOUND HAS ALSO BEEN INVESTIGATED TO
IMPROVE HOT AIR DRYING OF FOODS.
 USES IN FOOD

• ULTRASOUND HAS BEEN APPLIED TO FOOD TECHNOLOGIES DUE TO ITS MECHANICAL

AND/OR CHEMICAL EFFECTS ON THE PROCESSES OF HOMOGENIZATION, MIXING,
EXTRACTION, FILTRATION, CRYSTALLIZATION, DEHYDRATION, FERMENTATION, AND
DEGASSING THROUGH ITS ANTIFOAMING ACTIONS, REDUCTION OF PARTICLE SIZES,
TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT MODIFICATIONS .
 EFFECT ON FOOD QUALITY

• APPLICATION OF ULTRASONIC ENERGY SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES THE DRYING

EFFECT, ESPECIALLY AT MODERATE TEMPERATURES, THUS MINIMIZING FOOD
QUALITY LOSS. THE EFFICACY OF ULTRASOUND DECREASES WITH THE
INCREASE IN THE DRYING TEMPERATURE.
 WORKING

• IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY, ULTRASOUND CAN BE APPLIED FOR SUPPLEMENTING

THE UNIT OPERATIONS OR IN THE PROCESSING OF THE FOOD PRODUCT BY
EITHER DIRECT EXPOSURE OR USING AN INSTRUMENT SUCH AS SONOTRODE OR
ULTRASONIC WATER BATH
 APPLICATIONS

• ULTRASOUND HAS BEEN APPLIED TO MEAT PRODUCTS, VEGETABLES AND

FRUITS, CEREAL PRODUCTS, AERATED FOODS, HONEY, FOOD GELS, FOOD
PROTEINS, AND FOOD ENZYMES FOR MICROBIAL INACTIVATION, FREEZING,
DRYING, AND EXTRACTION.
 FOOD ANALYSIS

• ULTRASONIC TECHNIQUES ARE FINDING INCREASING USE IN THE FOOD

INDUSTRY FOR BOTH THE ANALYSIS AND MODIFICATION OF FOODS. LOW-
INTENSITY ULTRASOUND IS A NON-DESTRUCTIVE TECHNIQUE THAT PROVIDES
INFORMATION ABOUT PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, SUCH AS COMPOSITION,
STRUCTURE, PHYSICAL STATE AND FLOW RATE.
 ADVANTAGES

• ULTRASOUND IS CONSIDERED TO BE AN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN THE FOOD

INDUSTRY. IT HAS ADVANTAGES OF MINIMIZING FLAVOR LOSS, INCREASING
HOMOGENEITY, SAVING ENERGY, HIGH PRODUCTIVITY, ENHANCED QUALITY,
REDUCED CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL HAZARDS, AND IS ENVIRONMENTALLY
FRIENDLY.
• DEPENDING ON ITS INTENSITY, ULTRASOUND IS USED FOR THE ACTIVATION OR
DEACTIVATION OF ENZYMES, MIXING AND HOMOGENIZATION, EMULSIFICATION,
DISPERSION, PRESERVATION, STABILIZATION, DISSOLUTION AND
CRYSTALLIZATION, HYDROGENATION, TENDERIZATION OF MEAT, RIPENING,
AGEING AND OXIDATION
COLD PLASMA
 DEFINITION

• COLD PLASMA IS A NOVEL NO THERMAL FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY THAT

USES ENERGETIC, REACTIVE GASES TO INACTIVATE CONTAMINATING MICROBES
ON MEATS, POULTRY, FRUITS, AND VEGETABLES
• THIS FLEXIBLE SANITIZING METHOD USES ELECTRICITY AND A CARRIER GAS,
SUCH AS AIR, OXYGEN, NITROGEN, OR HELIUM; ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMICAL
AGENTS ARE NOT REQUIRED
 PRODUCTION

• SCIENTISTS CREATE COLD PLASMA BY SENDING SUPER-SPEEDY ELECTRONS

THROUGH GASSES LIKE HELIUM AND AIR. THESE ELECTRONS HIT THE ATOMS
AND MOLECULES WITH SO MUCH ENERGY THAT THEY PULL OFF THE
OUTERMOST ELECTRONS OF THE ATOMS AND MOLECULES IN THE GAS,
CREATING A SOUPY MIXTURE OF FREE ELECTRONS AND FREE IONS.
 FOODS TREATED

• STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT PLASMA DISCHARGES CAN BE USED TO

DECONTAMINATE RAW PRODUCE, DRIED NUTS, MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, GRANULAR
FOODS (I.E. DRIED MILK, HERBS, AND SPICES), PROCESSING EQUIPMENT, AND
PACKAGING MATERIALS.
 IN FOOD PROCESSING

• COLD PLASMA TECHNOLOGY (CPT) IS CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THE EMERGING

ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR PRESERVING FOOD COMMODITIES, EXTENDING
SHELF LIFE, AND RETAINING BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN FOODS. DUE TO NON-
THERMAL NATURE, CPT IS A USEFUL TECHNOLOGY FOR THE STERILIZATION
PROCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT-SENSITIVE FOODS. HOWEVER, CPT IN FOOD IS
STILL AN EMERGING PROCESS IN TERMS OF SAFETY EVALUATION
 PRACTICAL APPLICATION

• COLD PLASMA TECHNOLOGY (CPT), AN EMERGING GREEN NONTHERMAL

PROCESS, OFFERS NUMEROUS POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS IN FOOD AND
BIOMEDICAL INDUSTRIES. WITH RAPID ADVANCEMENTS IN PLASMA SCIENCE,
THE APPLICATION OF CPT FOR SURFACE DECONTAMINATION OF BOTH FOOD
PRODUCTS AND FOOD PACKAGING MATERIALS IS ADVANCING.
 PRINCIPLES

• CP IS USED IN FIELDS SUCH AS DECONTAMINATION TECHNOLOGY, SURFACE

TREATMENT, STERILIZATION OF MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND FOOD SAFETY
• THIS TECHNIQUE CAN BE APPLIED TO AIR, WATER, AND SURFACE DISINFECTION
OF FOOD, AND IT PROCESSES MATERIALS WITHOUT CAUSING ANY DAMAGE TO
LIVING TISSUES.
MODERATE ELECTRIC HEAT
 DEFINITION

• MEF IS ONE OF THE ‘GREENEST’ WAYS ELECTRICAL ENERGY CAN BE USED IN

FOOD PROCESSING. THIS ARISES FROM DIRECT, SIMPLE ENERGY APPLICATION,
VOLUMETRIC HEATING, TREMENDOUSLY REDUCED HEATING TIMES ALL
MINIMIZING ENERGY LOSS OPPORTUNITIES AND PROVIDING AN OUTSTANDING
ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL HEATING.
 RANGE AND FREQUENCY

• MEF IS THE USE OF ELECTRIC FIELDS AT LEVELS RANGING FROM ABOUT 1 TO

1000 V/CM OF ARBITRARY FREQUENCIES (50 – 25,000 HZ) AND WAVEFORMS WITH
OR WITHOUT THE HEATING EFFECT. IT INVOLVES A SIMPLER MORE DIRECT
APPLICATION OF ELECTRICAL CURRENT (I.E. NO CAPACITORS, PULSE FORMING
NETWORKS ETC.) WHICH IS IN THE FORM OF AC (VS DC IN PEF).
BENEFITS
 ADVANTAGES

• ELECTRIC FIELD APPLICATIONS TO FOOD AT MODERATE VOLTAGES CAN

INACTIVATE BACTERIA, THEREBY ENSURING FOOD SAFETY. RECENT FINDINGS
DEMONSTRATE THAT BY COMBINING ELECTRIC FIELDS AND AGITATION,
HARMFUL FOOD BACTERIA CAN BE INACTIVATED AT A TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 80
F AFTER 10 MINUTES, WHILE RETAINING THE FOOD’S NUTRIENTS. ELECTRIC
FIELDS ALSO FACILITATE SOME FOOD PROCESSING OPERATIONS, SUCH AS
TOMATO PEELING, BY MAKING VEGETABLE AND FRUIT CELLS PERMEABLE. IN
ADDITION, ELECTRIC FIELDS INACTIVATE SOME FOOD ENZYMES THAT CAN
CAUSE UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS SUCH AS BROWNING.
MODERATE ELECTRIC FIELD USES LESS THAN 1,000 VOLTS PER CENTIMETER TO
INACTIVATE BACTERIA. THIS PROCESS INCREASES THE PERMEABILITY OF CELL
MEMBRANES WHILE KEEPING THE PRODUCT TEMPERATURE LOWER THAN
CONVENTIONAL PASTEURIZATION.
• THE CONVENTIONAL HEATING PROCESS USES AT LEAST 170 F (LIKE A SLOW
COOKER) FOR LIQUID FOODS. MEF HEATS FOOD MORE UNIFORMLY BY USING
LOWER TEMPERATURES CONTROLLED THROUGH THE USE OF EXTERNAL
COOLING JACKETS
 SHEAR-MEF

• MEF PASSES AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT THROUGH A FOOD AND BUILDS

ELECTRICAL CHARGES ACROSS CELL MEMBRANES. AS A RESULT, BACTERIA
DEVELOP HOLES (PORES) IN THEIR CELL MEMBRANES, CANNOT MAINTAIN
INTEGRITY, AND DIE (FIGURE 1). THE ELECTRIC CURRENT MAY BE DIRECT OR
ALTERNATING AT MAIN FREQUENCY; HOWEVER, IT IS POSSIBLE TO USE OTHER
FREQUENCIES IN VARIOUS WAVEFORMS.
 BENEFITS

THE NUTRITIONAL LOSSES OF LIQUID FOODS ARE MINIMIZED

“FRESH-LIKE” SENSORY ATTRIBUTES (APPEARANCE, TASTE, AND FLAVOR) ARE

MAINTAINED BY THE LOW-HEAT PROCESS
• MICROBIOLOGICALLY SAFE FOOD WITH INCREASED SHELF LIFE UNDER
REFRIGERATED CONDITIONS CAN BE MADE WIDELY AVAILABLE
• COLOR LOSS IN JUICES COMMONLY OCCURS IN ALL THERMAL AND
NONTHERMAL PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES. DURING SHEAR-MEF TECHNOLOGY
PROCESSING, COLORS OF JUICES SUCH AS KALE-APPLE JUICE BLENDS ARE
MAINTAINED
THANK YOU