Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Improvements in food quality and safety of processed food are the most important features in any food processing technology that will meet the needs of the consumer and enhance competitiveness in global markets. Since Canada's agricultural and food production systems are among the most efficient and highest quality in the world, Canada needs to rise above its current global competition by developing novel processing techniques, that are not only economical but also ensure a safe and high-quality product. Food producers are looking for solutions to prevent the growth of microorganisms in food without compromising the initial quality of products. Emerging new processes are being evaluated and products have found their way to the market. Most remarkable are the preservation processes whereby products are subjected to a physical treatment at temperatures much less than those required for heat pasteurization.This proposal addresses the issues related to the safe preservation of milk and other dairy products using a non-thermal, pulsed electric field (PEF) technology. The PEF treatment involves the application of high voltage, short duration pulses to the food, which is passed between the high voltage and ground electrodes, to induce substantially high field across the microbial cell membrane. The mode of inactivation is non-thermal, in which pulse energy is transmitted across the product through high field effect. The method is considered energy efficient, as high voltage pulses of very short duration are sufficient to induce a breakdown of a cell membrane, leading to inactivation. Some of the important benefits that can be expected with this new technology are the quality of the processed food in terms of nutritional value, flavour, taste and appearance, and extended shelf life. From a national perspective, it will enable the Canadian food-processing sector to have a technological competitive edge. Additionally, the know-how obtained in the activities under this proposal will be an asset towards the development of products using the PEF technology in other industrial applications, such as water treatment.