An Evaluation of the Impact of Novel Processing Technologies on the Phytochemical Composition of Fruits and Vegetables

Abstract

Phytochemicals are highly beneficial in lowering the risk of several noncommunicable diseases. There is a need to provide novel technologies that can ensure the maintenance of desired phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables when compared to the traditional chemical or thermal treatments for the preservation of such crops. The development of physical nonthermal treatments such as pulsed electric field (PEF), pulsed light (PL), ultra sound (US), high pressure processing (HPP) and cold plasma (CP) techniques have been promising in maintaining the integrity of phytochemicals and the nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables. This chapter will focus on the effects such novel technologies can have on food quality and stability on phytochemicals in fruit and vegetable products.

Sustainable Valorization of Industrial Cherry Pomace: A Novel Cascade Approach Using Pulsed Electric Fields and Ultrasound Assisted-Extraction

“…Traditional extraction methods such as percolation, maceration, and Soxhlet extraction often necessitate cell disintegration pre-treatment to enhance the release of target intracellular compounds efficiently at low temperatures, thereby reducing energy costs, solvent usage, and extraction duration [18,19]. Pulsed electric fields (PEF) and ultrasound (US) pre-treatments have emerged as promising techniques for gentle and more effective cell disruption in plant-based biomass, respectively, intensifying the release of bioactive compounds from various agro-food waste and byproducts during subsequent solid-liquid extraction (SLE) [20][21][22].…”