.

A great leap forward in freshness

 High electric voltage (20 - 80 kV), in short(1-10 s) pulses(upto 1000 Hz)

Treatment is conducted at ambient, sub-ambient, or slightly
above ambient temperature.

Treatment time is less than 1 s(generally).

Non thermal method.

Effects include Permeabilization of Cell Membranes

Greatly reduces energy loss & the detrimental changes of the

sensory and physical properties of foods (Quass 1997).

TWO METHODS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED

ELECTRICAL BREAKDOWN

ELECTROPORATION

 Cell Membrane

Capacitor filled with dielectric.

CYTOPLASM

Cell has a normal transmembrane Potential

RESTING POTENTIAL(0.1V)*

Refers to the difference in electrical potential

across the membrane of a cell.
Differences in ion concentrations across the
membrane.
Cell membrane is selectively permeable.

*(GUYTON 1986,WEAVER 1993)

CELL MEMBRANE
(INSULATOR)

Description of Transmembrane Potential

Membrane

Fig. Showing part of Cell Membrane in Electric Field

*
(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(1)

Cell membrane without external electric field.

(2)

Cell membrane in electric field

(3)

Reversible Breakdown of cell membrane.

(4)

Irreversible Breakdown of cell membrane.

*(Critical Electric Field)

COMPRESSED.

 Temporary destabilization of lipid bilayer and

proteins of cell membranes*
Aqueous Pore Model
- Hydrophilic Pore Formation Occurs in Lipid
Bilayer of cell Membrane

Presence of an induced transmembrane potential

provides the free energy necessary for structural
rearrangements of membrane phospholipids and
thus enables hydrophilic pore formation.**

*(Castro and others 1993).** (Neumann et al. 1989; Tsong 1991)

Pore
Formation

Water Influx &

Swelling
Inactive Cell

Membrane
Rupture
Stages of Electroporation in a cell membrane (Tsong, T.Y. 1990)

PRESERVATION

CELL
DISINTEGRATION

PRESERVATION
MICROBIAL INACTIVATION

E.g Preservation of high quality beverages

PULSE

SHELF LIFE OF FRESHLY SQUEEZED JUICES EXTENDED

UPTO

21DAYS

..460 million consumers within your grasp

The sales market for fresh juices

used to be restricted to 200 Kms.
PEF Preservation means being able to
expand your potential sales market
upto a radius of aproximately 1500 Kms

and that means being able to increase

your market from 30 million consumers
to as many as 460 million

BY RUPTURING THE CELL TO RELEASE ITS

CONTENTS.

CELL
DISINTEGRATION

E.g. DEHYDRATION OF FRUITS &

VEGETABLES,
EXTRACTION OF JUICES & INGREDIENTS.

James Lyng (UCD institute of food and health,Dublin).

Main Focus: Fruit/Veg juices & Milk

Vitamins,caratenoids,flavanoids,antioxidant cap

PEF induces
Water soluble vitamins
Fat soluble vitamins

---------

no significant reduction
no significant reduction

Antioxidant capacity/carotenoids/Flavonoids
General observations
Heat treatments (fruits & veg)
antioxidant capacity ( severity).
caratenoids/flavanoids ( severity).
PEF treatments
lesser effect on antioxidant capacity.
lesser effect caratenoids/flavanoids.
Adapted from James Lyng,UCD

Summary
Vitamin C: PEF induces Slight Reduction(4-5%) i.e lower as
compared to conventional heat process treatment (20-30%)

1900
1920
1940

Adapted from Heinz (2007), Zhang(2008)

1960
1980
2000
2020

2003 RES- CELL PERMEATION

2005 SUGAR EXTRACTION
2006 WASTEWATER TREATMENT
2007 JUICE PRODUCTION

(1981) RES -ZIMMERMANN(MEMBRANE

PERMEABILITY)

(1967) RES. SALE & HAMILTON ( IST

SYSTEMATIC STUDY)

(1949) ELECTROPLASMOLYSIS

MILK PAST(ELECTROPURE) OHMIC HEATING

James Lyng (UCD INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND HEALTH,Dublin)

TH.STERL

PRES

PEF

EXTR

TH. PAST

RESEARCH FACILTIY

NOT INSTALLED YET

COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION

30+ Years of investigation

To date predominantly liquids(e.g. fruit/veg juices & milk).

Successful inactivation of vegetative cells(>5Log).

PEF alone ---- no spore inactivation.

Minimal impact on sensory quality and nutritional value.

Cell disintegration aspect has greater commercial uptake.

A lot of research needs to be carried out before full scale

commercial utilization of PEF in food processing.

Some research facility of PEF processing should also be installed

in the country.

 Barbosa-Ca novas, G. Preservation of foods with pulsed electric

field,Washington state university,Pullman, WA,1996.
Lyng,J. Introduction to pulsed electric field,(Share biotech conference at
AIT Thailand).

De Vito,F. Application of pulsed electric field in food processing(P.hd

Theisis),Spain,2006.
Mohamed.M, E.A. and Amer Eissa, A.H. Pulsed Electric Fields for Food
Processing Technology (King faisal university,Saudi Arabia).

THANK YOU