Novel processing methods: updates on acidified vegetables thermal processing

Abstract

Conventional thermal processing of low acid foods experiences significant quality loses due to intense thermal processing schedules. Even though relative improvement in quality of canned foods achieved through modification of processing and packaging methods, due to required high lethality, commercial thermal sterilization process are still heat and energy intensive. Combined use of product pH (pH < 4.6) reduction with use of novel thermal processing methods contributed for better quality retention of thermally processed vegetables with reduced cost of production. Novel pH reduction methods like use of vacuum or high pressure assisted infusion allow uniform and instantaneous pH modification of high acid vegetables. In addition to this, use of novel thermal processing methods like microwave, radiofrequency, ohmic heating and high pressure assisted temperature processing permit uniform and short duration treatments for better quality retention, process efficiency and cost reduction.