Milk processing by high intensity pulsed electric fields

Pulsed electric field (PEF) processing of food consists of treatment with very short electric pulses (mus) at high electric field intensities at moderate temperatures. This treatment could be an alternative to traditional thermal processes since it is capable of destroying micro-organisms and some enzymes while maintaining the freshness of food products. A product most commonly used to study the effects of PEF has been milk, and other dairy products. Research has been focused on evaluating the effects of PEF on micro-organisms and enzymes, and the effectiveness of this nonthermal technique has been demonstrated. The effectiveness of PEF treatments depends on several factors, such as electric field intensity, treatment time, temperature of food, and type of micro-organism or enzyme. As well as studies on microorganisms and enzymes, some studies exist on the effects of PEF on milk quality and composition, proving that this treatment causes fewer changes in the original food's composition than thermal treatments. Further investigation is needed to commercialize PEF treatment for milk and dairy products processing. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.