Food processing & technology
Development of methods and processes to prolong the food shelf-life and improving the quality, adding nutritional value, etc.
Research publication highlights
Prolonging shelf-life of fruits
Stability enhancement
This study aimed to investigate the effects of the pulsed electric field (25, 50, and 100 kV/m) on the ripening of atemoya (Annona cherimola × Annona squamosa) and explore the mechanism of delayed ripening. The results showed that the 50 kV/m pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment significantly affected atemoya preservation, inhibited browning for up to 18 days, and reduced firmness loss by 27% to prolong the shelf-life of the treated sample to 30 days. Regarding the mechanisms, the shelf-life extension was consistent with PEF-induced enzyme inactivation. The 50 kV/m PEF treatments inhibited the respiration rate peak from the 15th day to the 18th day and decremented the activities of pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase, cellulase, and amylase by 17.0%, 36.2%, 32.3%, and 39.0%, respectively. These results suggest that PEF could extend the shelf-life of atemoya and probably other climacteric fruits.
Check out the article at Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies 88 (2023) 103458
Pulsed electric thawing of Pekin duck meat
Food quality
We determined the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF)-assisted thawing on the texture and muscle tissue of Pekin duck meat. The results indicated that 1–4 kV/cm of PEF shortened the thawing time by 20%–50%. Furthermore, 1–3 kV/cm of PEF-assisted thawing reduced the effect of thawing on meat quality, decreased thawing loss by 28% and protein loss by 19%, and maintained meat quality similar to that of fresh meat. Using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance, we confirmed that PEF stabilized the water retention capacity of muscle tissues during thawing. Microstructure and secondary structure analyses revealed that PEF accelerated the melting of ice crystals, reducing the damage caused by ice crystals by 70% and maintaining the stability of the α-helix and β-sheet. These results revealed the potential of PEF-assisted methods for use in thawing meat.
Check out the article at Food Chemistry 390 (2022) 133137
Preservation of bananas to decrease browning
Food shelf life
In this study, a pulsed electric field (PEF) was used to establish the preservation conditions of bananas (Musa spp.) and explore the effect on chilling injury (CI) inhibition. The response surface methodology (RSM) demonstrated that the PEF strength of 50 kV/m has a better inhibition effect on browning; however, adverse effects are caused when the PEF strength exceeds 100 kV/m in comparison with untreated group. Further storage tests indicated that PEF could effectively improve fruit weight loss (18.91%), firmness (10.91%), browning and other changes associated with quality by maintaining the levels of total chlorophyll, carotenoids and ascorbic acid. This suggests that PEF has the potential to delay the CI of bananas stored at low temperatures and can maintain high fruit quality.
Check out the article at Food Packaging and Shelf Life 31 (2022) 100804