No abstract

The effects of pulsed electric fields (PEF) on the inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated into liquid whole egg (LWE) and on the physical properties and the shelf‐life of LWE were studied. PEF processing conditions were 1.2 mL/s flow rate, 200 pps frequency, 2.12 μs pulse duration, 25 kV/cm electric field strength, and 250 μs total treatment time. The PEF processing caused up to 1 log10 cfu/mL reduction in S. Enteritidis population in LWE. The PEF‐treated samples were subjected to heat at 55C for 3.5 min to inactivate the remaining bacteria without denaturing the LWE. The combination of PEF and heat treatments led to a 4.3 log10 cfu/mL reduction in S. Enteritidis population (P < 0.05) and caused no significant change in viscosity, electrical conductivity, color, pH, and Brix, relative to control samples (P > 0.05). The PEF+55C treated LWE samples presented significantly longer shelf‐life at 4C compared with the control and heat treated samples (P < 0.05).

The effect of high voltage pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment on Escherichia coli O157:H7 and generic E. coli 8739 in apple juice was investigated. Fresh apple juice samples inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli 8739 were treated by PEF with selected parameters including electric field strength, treatment time, and treatment temperature. Samples were exposed to bipolar pulses with electric field strengths of 30, 26, 22, and 18 kV/cm and total treatment times of 172, 144, 115, and 86 micros. A 5-log reduction in both cultures was determined by a standard nonselective medium spread plate laboratory procedure. Treatment temperature was kept below 35 degrees C. Results showed no difference in the sensitivities of E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli 8739 against PEF treatment. PEF is a promising technology for the inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli 8739 in apple juice.

Suspensions of yeast cell (zygo Saccharomyces bailii) in a phosphate buffer solution were subjected to conventional (hot water) and ohmic (electric current) heating under identical temperature histories. Experiments were also conducted with cells of Escherichia coli to compare the lethal effect of combination of sublethal electrical preteatment and conventional heating with conventional heating. The kinetic parameters (D,Z,K and E(a)) were determined for both organisms during different treatments. There was no significant difference in the death rate of yeast cells during conventional and ohmic heating at the voltage range used in this study. Results of electrical pretreatment and conventional heating on E. coli indicated differences under certain conditions when compared with pure conventional heating. Thus it is concluded that microbial death during ohmic heating was due primarily to thermal effects with no significant effect of electric current per se. Sublethal electrical pretreatment appears to offer potential for increased bacterial inactivation in certain cases.

Although the idea of electrical treatment of foods for microbial control is not new, the data available on nonthermal effects of electriciry are limited and inconclusive. An understanding of such effects would be useful in developing new methods for microbial inactivation. The present review discusses a number of different methods of electrical treatment and their nonthermal effects on microorganisms. Subjects discussed include electric pasteurization of milk, electrohydraulic shock, electroporation, and electroconductive heating. Information relating to mechanisms contributing to microbial death is summarized and discussed.Recent industry interest in rapid methods of heating and nonthermal microbial inactivation in foods has resulted in revived attention towards technologies utilizing electrical energy or electromagnetic waves. Relevant technologies in this connection include ohmic and microwave heating (ionizing radiation is excluded from the present discussion). Both methods can cause rapid heating in 'Salaries and research support provided by State and Federal Funds appropriated to the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University. Approved as Journal Article 90. 235-90.