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Non-thermal Processing for Improving the Quality and Safety of Foods

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Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 13890

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ruijin Yang

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Guest Editor

State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
Interests: food biotechnology; food non-thermal processing; food separation technology; convenience food research and development

Prof. Dr. Jianhao Zhang

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Interests: food preservation packaging; processing of livestock products and quality control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thermal treatment has been the most widely utilized technique in the sterilization of foodborne pathogens, inactivating enzymes, drying, thawing, and extracting bioactive compounds. Although this method is convenient and can ensure food safety, it destroys the sensory, nutritional and physicochemical properties of food. In order to meet consumers’ demand for healthy, high-quality, fresh and microbiologically safe food, the food industry has shown increased interest in the development of procedures which enable minimal food processing and yielding products with better organoleptic and nutritive properties. Food researchers are exploring alternatives to thermal treatment in order to reduce its negative effects on food quality.

The application of non-thermal processing technologies (high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric field, dense phase carbon dioxide, cold plasma, ultrasound, magnetic field, radiation, etc.) in food processing (sterilization, inactivation of enzymes, drying, extraction, modification, etc.) has been widely reported. To promote further development and industrialization a broader and deeper understanding of the effects of non-thermal technologies on microorganisms, enzymes and food components related to color, flavor, texture, nutrition and safety is needed. This Special Issue is devoted to exploring the innovative applications of non-thermal processing technologies and their deeper effects on food quality and safety. Thus, we invite researchers to contribute original research or review articles on these topics.

Prof. Dr. Ruijin Yang
Prof. Dr. Jianhao Zhang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

high hydrostatic pressure
pulsed electric field
dense phase carbon dioxide
cold plasma
high-voltage electrostatic field
ultrasound
magnetic field
radiation

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cold Plasma Controls Nitrite Hazards by Modulating Microbial Communities in Pickled Radish

by Wei Wei, Shujing Yang, Fan Yang, Xinyu Hu, Yuan Wang, Wenjun Guo, Biyue Yang, Xiang Xiao and Lin Zhu

Foods 2023, 12(13), 2550; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12132550 - 29 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1034

Abstract

The hazard of nitrite caused by microorganisms is the main food safety problem in the pickle production. To seek a method to control the nitrite hazards of pickles by regulating microbial community without additional substances, we focused on cold plasma because Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria have different degrees of sensitivity to the sterilization of cold plasma. Using radish pickles as the experimental object, based on colony counting, dynamic monitoring of pH and nitrite, qPCR and high-throughput sequencing, it was found that when the raw material was treated with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) cold plasma at 40 kV for 60 s, Gram-negative bacteria with the potential to produce nitrite were preferentially sterilized. Meanwhile, Gram-positive bacteria dominated by the lactic acid bacteria were retained to accelerate the acid production rate, initiate the self-degradation of nitrite in advance and significantly reduce the peak value and accumulation of nitrite during the fermentation process of pickled radish. This study preliminarily verified that DBD cold plasma can inhibit the nitrite generation and accelerate the self-degradation of nitrite by regulating the structure and abundance of microbial community in radish pickles, which provides an important reference for the control of nitrite hazards in the fermentation process of pickles without additives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Processing for Improving the Quality and Safety of Foods)

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11 pages, 1514 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Pulsed Electric Field on the Chicken Meat Quality and Taste-Related Amino Acid Stability: Flavor Simulation

by Ume Roobab, Xin-An Zeng, Waqar Ahmed, Ghulam Muhammad Madni, Muhammad Faisal Manzoor and Rana Muhammad Aadil

Foods 2023, 12(4), 710; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040710 - 6 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1879

Abstract

Meat contains several amino acids related to taste, which have a significant impact on the overall acceptability of consumers. A number of volatile compounds have been studied in relation to meat flavor, but amino acids have not been fully explored in relation to the taste of raw or cooked meat. It would be interesting to find any changes in physicochemical characteristics, especially the level of taste-active compounds and flavor content during non-thermal processing such as pulsed electric fields (PEF), for commercial reasons. The effect of PEF at low intensity (LPEF; 1 kV/cm) and comparatively high intensity (HPEF; 3 kV/cm) with different pulse numbers (25, 50, and 100) was investigated on the physicochemical characteristics of chicken breast, including the free amino acid content (related to umami, sweet, bitter, or fresh pleasant taste). PEF is regarded as a “nonthermal” technology; however, HPEF induces moderate temperature rises as it increases with the treatment intensity (i.e., electric field strength and pulse number). The pH, shear force, and cook loss (%) of the LPEF and untreated samples were not affected by the treatments, but the shear force of the LPEF and untreated samples was lower than that of HPEF groups that showed PEF-induced slight structural modifications resulting in a more porous cell. In the case of color parameters, the lightness of meat (L*) was significantly higher with treatment intensity, whereas both a* and b* were unaffected by the PEF treatments. Moreover, PEF treatment significantly (p < 0.05) affected umami-related free amino acids (FAAs; glutamic acid and aspartic acid) and leucine and valine, which are precursors of flavor compounds. However, PEF decreases the level of bitter taste contributing FAAs such as lysine and tyrosine, which may prevent the formation of fermented flavors. In conclusion, both PEF treatments (LPEF and HPEF) did not adversely impact the physicochemical quality of chicken breast. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Processing for Improving the Quality and Safety of Foods)

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13 pages, 2543 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Conventional Induction Heat Treatment: Effect of Design and Electrical Parameters on Apple Juice Safety and Quality

by Shilin Wu, Xueming Xu, Na Yang, Yamei Jin, Zhengyu Jin and Zhengjun Xie

Foods 2022, 11(23), 3937; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11233937 - 6 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1704

Abstract

The proposed non-conventional induction heating, which combines an MSCP and VDC structure, was proved to have excellent thermal effect. Different from other electric field sterilization, this electrotechnology operates with no electrodes, and it is a continuous-flow process with short-duration (about 20 s). In current study, the parameters related to temperature rise were investigated, including applied voltage, frequency, the diameter of the secondary coil and heating tube, as well as their length, etc. It was demonstrated that a smaller diameter of the heating tube, parallel connection sample coils, and higher frequency were beneficial for the inactivation of microorganisms. At 500 Hz, the optimal condition is 800 V, d₁ = 2 mm, and L₁ = 10 cm. Notably, the system could inactivate all microorganisms and maintained the physicochemical properties of apple juice at 40 kHz. It suggests that this structural design has the potential for industrial applications and the proposed induction heating can realize the rapid sterilization of liquid food without applying electrodes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Processing for Improving the Quality and Safety of Foods)

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Review

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15 pages, 616 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Impact of Pulsed Electric Fields on Milk’s Macro- and Micronutrient Profile: A Comprehensive Review

by Azizah Mohamad, Nor Nadiah Abdul Karim Shah, Alifdalino Sulaiman, Noranizan Mohd Adzahan, Rai Naveed Arshad and Rana Muhammad Aadil

Foods 2023, 12(11), 2114; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12112114 - 24 May 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2063

Abstract

Consumers around the world are attracted to products with beneficial effects on health. The stability, functionality, and integrity of milk constituents are crucial determinants of product quality in the dairy industry. Milk contains macronutrients and micronutrients that aid in a wide range of physiological functions in the human body. Deficiencies of these two types of nutrients can confine growth in children and increase the risk of several diseases in adults. The influence of pulsed electric fields (PEF) on milk has been extensively reviewed, mostly concentrating on the inactivation of microbes and enzymes for preservation purposes. Therefore, the information on the variations of milk macro- and micronutrients treated by PEF has yet to be elucidated and it is imperative as it may affect the functionality, stability, and integrity of the milk and dairy products. In this review, we describe in detail the introduction, types, and components of PEF, the inactivation mechanism of biological cells by PEF, as well as the effects of PEF on macro- and micronutrients in milk. In addition, we also cover the limitations that hinder the commercialization and integration of PEF in the food industry and the future outlook for PEF. The present review consolidates the latest research findings investigating the impact of PEF on the nutritional composition of milk. The assimilation of this valuable information aims to empower both industry professionals and consumers, facilitating a thorough understanding and meticulous assessment of the prospective adoption of PEF as an alternative technique for milk pasteurization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Processing for Improving the Quality and Safety of Foods)

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20 pages, 2711 KiB

Open AccessReview

Impacts of Cold Plasma Technology on Sensory, Nutritional and Safety Quality of Food: A Review

by Bo Zhang, Chunming Tan, Fanglei Zou, Yu Sun, Nan Shang and Wei Wu

Foods 2022, 11(18), 2818; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11182818 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6482

Abstract

As an emerging non-thermal food processing technology, cold plasma (CP) technology has been widely applied in food preservation due to its high efficiency, greenness and lack of chemical residues. Recent studies have indicated that CP technology also has an impressing effect on improving food quality. This review summarized the impact of CP on the functional composition and quality characteristics of various food products. CP technology can prevent the growth of spoilage microorganisms while maintaining the physical and chemical properties of the food. It can maintain the color, flavor and texture of food. CP can cause changes in protein structure and function, lipid oxidation, vitamin and monosaccharide degradation, starch modification and the retention of phenolic substances. Additionally, it also degrades allergens and toxins in food. In this review, the effects of CP on organoleptic properties, nutrient content, safety performance for food and the factors that cause these changes were concluded. This review also highlights the current application limitations and future development directions of CP technology in the food industry. This review enables us to more comprehensively understand the impacts of CP technology on food quality and promotes the healthy application of CP technology in the food industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-thermal Processing for Improving the Quality and Safety of Foods)

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