Novel non-thermal food preservation technology: the science and industrial application of high pressure, pulsed electric field and cold plasma

This chapter looks at non-thermal processing of food. Heat processing has been a main preservation method for many years but has many disadvantages, such as adverse organoleptic changes and loss of nutritional properties. This and other factors have resulted in active research in new technologies of food preservation, particularly non-thermal ones. Three promising non-thermal methods are reviewed, namely high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric field (PEF) and cold plasma (CP). These technologies have been chosen as they are at different stages of development and application. HPP is the most mature technology with hundreds of applications, supported by a number of established research groups around the world; PEF has few applications, while CP is still at the laboratory stage. The questions we will answer are: how sound is the science behind these techniques? What are the elements that are likely to help or hinder their implementation and success? Will they be niche technologies in terms of product and market or will they fi nd global applications? The science and technology behind HPP, PEF and CP will be examined first, followed by reviews of the factors affecting their development and successful application. These will be looked at from the points of view of the three main stakeholders, i.e., academics, industrial managers and consumers.