The Effect of Megasonic Separation on the Nutritional and Physical Properties of Food - An Overview

Abstract

There has been recent interest in the use of high frequency ultrasound, also referred to as ‘megasonics’, to initiate separation of immiscible particulates from fluids. This technology shows great promise in the area of food engineering, as it is capable of greatly enhancing the rate at which food nutrients can be separated from mixtures. Furthermore, the application of megasonics results in minimal deterioration of product quality such as physical appearance and nutritional value. There has been recent success in the commercialization of the technology, notably in the application of palm oil milling. Significant improvements to product recovery including a faster separation and yield enhancement not only provide better profitability, but also phytonutrient retention. This mini-review provides an overview of the important concepts pertaining to the technology. The potential effects resulting from application of ultrasonics at megasonic frequencies to selected foods for nutrient separation and retention are highlighted.