Application of intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment is an emerging technology with interesting prospects in food preservation. However, information concerning the factors affecting the inactivation of microorganisms and their impact on the quality of fresh-cut food is scarce. In this study, the effects of IPL treatment on the microbial inactivation and physicochemical change in paprika were determined. The viability of bacteria in paprika treated with IPL decreased slightly with the treatment time. In addition, water content was slightly decreased after IPL treatment regardless of the color of paprika. However, except in red paprika, sugar content increased after IPL treatment. The pH of paprika increased in all samples, and the polyphenol content decreased with treatment time, but these differences were very small. After IPL treatment of paprika, vitamin C content increased in yellow and red samples. Hunter color values-lightness (L), redness (a), and yellowness (b)-increased in red paprika, but all values decreased in orange paprika.

Makgeolli, a traditional Korean turbid rice wine, was treated with pulsed electric fields (PEF) for the purpose of a development of a new cold pasteurization processes. Inactivation of yeast in the makgeolli increased with increase in intensity of the electric field strength and treatment time. The initial yeast count of the makgeolli was 2×10 8 cfu/ ml. A reduction of 2D was obtained at 30 kV/cm and 256 exponential decay pulses at room temperature. The combination of PEF and conventional thermal treatment inactivated the yeast more effectively. Reductions of up to 8D were observed when the makgeolli was treated with PEF of 20 kV/cm and 256 pulses at 50 o C. The inactivation of the yeast in makgeolli increased with an increase in alcohol content. When the alcohol content of the makgeolli increased to 12%, PEF treatment with 30 kV/cm and 256 pulses resulted in a 4.8D reduction of yeast. No changes in pH, acidity, or the growth of yeast were observed in the PEF treated makgeolli during storage at 4 o C for 4 weeks.