Electric pulses in food preservation: critical factors in microbial inactivation AND EFFECTS On food nutrients

The present work had as objective to present a review about the use of the Pulsed Electric Fields Technology on food preservation: critical factors on microbes inactivation and effects on food constituents. The process parameters (pulsed electric fields intensity, time and temperature of the process), the product’s attributes (conductivity, ionic state, pH and water activity), microbes characteristics (species, concentration, growth stage) and the inactivation mechanisms which are consider as critical factors for the microbial inactivation efficiency of the process were demonstrated. The effects of this process on food constituents’ bioavailability was also evaluated since this process may affect the cellular membrane structures and also their absorption and bioactive properties. The data found on literature consider Pulsed Electric Fields as a promising alternative for food preservation technology due to its resemblance to pasteurization process and small damages on sensory characteristics and food nutritive quality, and so can be used alone or as a complement on thermal processes.