The use of high intensity (PEF) is one of the non-thermal process deserving of attention because it can accomplish food preservation and metabolite release from plant cells with short treatment times and very little heating of the medium.
Application of high intensity (PEF) has been successfully demonstrated for the a pasteurization of foods such as juices, milk, yoghurt soups and liquid eggs.
It is seen as an interesting alternative to conventional thermal processing methods for liquid or semi-liquid foods.
High intensity PEF is not intended to heat food, rather it involves the application of a short burst of high voltage to a food placed between two electrodes.
A liquid food can be pasteurized by passage of a high voltage electric field (up to 80 kV/cm) that is pulsed at microsecond interval. This treatment disrupts the microbial cell membranes, eventually killing the cell by lysis.
High intensity pulsed electric field (PEF)
