Non-thermal food pasteurization processes: An introduction

The food industry and consumers have significant interest in nonthermal pasteurization processes because they offer better quality and nutrition retention and are more energy efficient than traditional thermal processes. Non-thermal processes may also create value-added products and open new market opportunities. This chapter will provide an overview of several non-thermal processes with the potential for producing valued-added foods, including pulse electric field (PEF), high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), ionizing irradiation, UV light, non-thermal plasma (NTP), and concentrated high intensity electric field (CHIEF). Their respective mechanisms for inactivating microorganisms, technical characteristics, and current status of the application of these processes will be discussed.