Pulsed electric fields for inactivation of endogenous enzymes in foods

Abstract

Enzymes may cause undesirable chemical changes in food attributes, such as loss in color, texture, and flavor. The inactivation of endogenous enzymes is very important for food processing and preservation. Pulsed electric fields (PEF) possess a high potential and a promising future in food processing to pasteurize pumpable foods and reduce enzymatic activity. Compared with thermal pasteurization methods, foods were less affected initially after PEF processing. Currently, this technology is ongoing from a laboratory and a pilot plant scale level to the industrial level. In the last few years, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated the efficiency of PEF processing to inactivate most endogenous enzymes in foods. This chapter reviews the current information available about how enzymes are affected by PEF, including what is known about the inactivation mechanisms and the possible different pathways of PEF and thermal treatments on protein. The aim of this review is to update the state of the art regarding the inactivation of endogenous enzymes and the associated molecular mechanisms underlying the action of PEF. This will allow better understanding the potential of PEF technology as an alternative or complement to traditional methods of food preservation.