Combination of Non-thermal processes and their hurdle Effect

Abstract

The knowledge of traditional or conventional thermal food processing has been utilized in enhancing food safety for ages due to its safety profile, technological simplicity, commercial viability, profitability, and consumer acceptability. Thermal processing technologies prevail as an ideal approach in the food industry for preserving and extending the shelf life of foods. Such technologies; however, involve application of high temperatures for a sufficiently long time to destroy pathogenic as well as spoilage microorganisms, in production of shelf-stable food products. This, in turn, induces irreversible changes to quantifiable factors, such as nutrient degradation, and non-quantifiable factors, such as sensory attributes of food. Consequently, with time- and market-driven demand, efforts have been made to improve the quality of these products by utilizing non-conventional thermal processing technologies such as microwave, infrared, and ohmic heating which work on the principal of volumetric heating. Therefore, these technologies are able to maintain the nutritional quality to some extent due to shorter processing times. However, in the present era, minimal processing has received considerable attention due to consumer demand of fresh-like or natural food products, which have made the food processing industry seek alternative or novel approaches to achieve desired food safety goals. To overcome the drawbacks of thermal processing effects, non-thermal processing technologies, minimal processing, and advanced food packaging techniques have evolved in the recent two decades in food processing operations.