Pressure-enhanced sterilization (PES) and ohmic heating (OH) are two emerging sterilization techniques, currently lacking implementation in the food industry. However, both technologies offer significant benefits in terms of spore inactivation using reduced thermal intensity in food products, as well as minimized effects on sensory and nutritional profiles. In this study, PES and OH were tested based on possible food safety process windows in comparison to thermal retorting, to optimize the food quality of carrot-based purees. The following parameters related to food quality were tested: texture, carotenoid content, color, and detectable amount of food processing contaminants (FPC) formed. Application of the innovative sterilization techniques resulted in a better retention of color, texture, and carotenoids (for PES) as well as a reduced formation of food processing contaminants. Importantly, a significant reduction in the formation of furan and its derivates was observed, compared to the retorted samples. Hence, both sterilization technologies showed promising results in the mitigation of potential toxic processing contaminants and retention of quality attributes.

Core Facility Food and Bio Processing University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Austria

Department of Food Analysis and Nutrition University of Chemistry and Technology Prague Czechia

Department of Food Biotechnology and Food Process Engineering Technische Universität Berlin Berlin Germany

Institute of Food Technology University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna Austria

Leibniz Institute for Agriculture Engineering and Bioeconomy Potsdam Berlin Germany

Zobrazit více v PubMed

Matser A, Krebbers B, van den Berg R, Bartels P. Advantages of high pressure sterilization on quality of food products. Trends Food Sci Technol. (2004) 15:79–85. 10.1016/j.tifs.2003.08.005 DOI

Stadler H, Lineback DR. Process-Induced Food Toxicanst. Occurrence, Formation, Mitigation Health Risks. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley; (2009). 10.1002/9780470430101 DOI

EFSA . (2017). Risks for public health related to the presence of furan and methylfurans in food. EFSA J. 15:e05005 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.5005 PubMed DOI PMC

Wuytack E, Boven S, Michiels C. Comparative study of pressure-induced germination of bacillus subtilis spores at low and high pressures. Appl Environ Microbiol. (1998) 64:3220–4. 10.1128/AEM.64.9.3220-3224.1998 PubMed DOI PMC

Ahn J, Balasubramaniam VM. Physiological responses of bacillus amyloliquefaciens spores to high pressure. J Microbiol Biotechnol. (2006) 17:524–9. PubMed

Wimalaratne S, Farid M. Pressure assisted thermal sterilization. Food Bioprod Process. (2008) 86:312–6. 10.1016/j.fbp.2007.08.001 DOI

Mathys A, Reineke K, Heinz V, Knorr D. High pressure thermal sterilization – development and application of temperature controlled spore inactivation studies. High Press Res. (2009) 29:3–7. 10.1080/08957950802526469 DOI

Reineke K, Doehner I, Schlumbach K, Baier D, Mathys A, Knorr D. The different pathways of spore germination and inactivation in dependence of pressure and temperature. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol. (2012) 13:31–41. 10.1016/j.ifset.2011.09.006 DOI

Sevenich R, Mathys A. Continuous versus discontinuous ultra-high-pressure systems for food sterilization with focus on ultra-high-pressure homogenization and high-pressure thermal sterilization: a review. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. (2018) 17:646–62. 10.1111/1541-4337.12348 PubMed DOI

Knoerzer K, Juliano P, Gladman S, Fryer PJ. A computational model for temperature and sterility distributions in a pilot-scale high-pressure high-temperature process. AICHE J. (2007) 61:857–66. 10.1002/aic.11301 DOI

Sommerville J. (2009). The Effects of Pressure-Assisted Thermal Processing on the Quality Attributes of Black Beans.

Institute of Food Saftey and Health Illinois . NCFST Receives Regulatory Acceptance of Novel Food Sterilization Process. (2009). Available online at: https://labs.wsu.edu/tang/2009/02/26/ncfst-receives-regulatory-acceptance-of-novel-food-sterilization-process/

Institute of Food Saftey and Health Illinois . IFSH Receives FDA Acceptance of Pressure Enhanced Sterilization Process for Commercial Production of Multi- Component Shelf-Stable Foods. (2015). Available online at: https://www.food-safety.com/articles/2681-ifsh-receives-fda-acceptance-of-pressure-enhanced-sterilization-process-for-commercial-production-of-multicomponent-shelf-stable-foods

Juliano P, Barbosa-Canovas G. Food sterilization by combining high pressure and thermal energy. In: Gutiérrez-López GF, Barbosa-Cánovas GV, Welti-Chanes J, Parada-Arias E, editors. Food Engineering: Integrated Approaches. New York City, NY: Springer; (2005). p. 9–46. 10.1007/978-0-387-75430-7_2 DOI

Knoerzer K, Buckow R, Versteeg C. Adiabatic compression heating coefficients for high pressure processing – A study of some insulating polymer materials. J Food Eng. (2010) 98:110–9. 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2009.12.016 DOI

De Alwis AAP, Fryer PJ. The use of direct resistance heating in the food industry. J Food Eng. (1990) 11:3–27. 10.1016/0260-8774(90)90036-8 DOI

Sastry SK, Palaniappan S. Mathematical modeling experimental studies on ohmic heating of liquid-particle mixtures in a static heater. J Food Process Eng. (1992) 15:241–61. 10.1111/j.1745-4530.1992.tb00155.x DOI

Ghnimi S, Flach-Malaspina N, Dresch M, Delaplace G, Maingonnat JF. Design and performance evaluation of an ohmic heating unit for thermal processing of highly viscous liquids. Chem Eng Res Des. (2008) 86:626–32. 10.1016/j.cherd.2008.02.005 DOI

Ruan R, Ye X, Chen P, Doona CJ, Taub I. Ohmic heating. In: Richardson P, editor. Thermal Technologies in Food Processing Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology Nutrition. Woodhead Publishing; (2001). p. 241–265. 10.1533/9781855736610.3.241 DOI

Leizerson S, Shimoni E. Stability and sensory shelf life of orange juice pasteurized by continuous ohmic heating. J Agric Food Chem. (2005) 53:4012–8. 10.1021/jf047857q PubMed DOI

Baysal AH, Icier F. Inactivation kinetics of alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris spores in orange juice by ohmic heating: effects of voltage gradient and temperature on inactivation. J Food Prot. (2010) 73:299–304. 10.4315/0362-028X-73.2.299 PubMed DOI

IARC . Dry cleaning: Some chlorinated solvents and other industrial chemicals. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum.(1995) 63:33–475. PubMed PMC

Ramirez R, Saraiva J, Pérez Lamela C, Torres JA. Reaction kinetics analysis of chemical changes in pressure-assisted thermal processing. Food Eng Rev. (2009) 1:16–30. 10.1007/s12393-009-9002-8 DOI

Escobedo-Avellaneda Z, Pateiro Moure M, Chotyakul N, Torres J, Welti-Chanes J, Lamela C. Benefits and limitations of food processing by high pressure technologies: effects on functional compounds and nonbiotic contaminants. J Food. (2011) 9:616959. 10.1080/19476337.2011.616959 DOI

Bravo KS, Ramírez R, Durst R, Escobedo-Avellaneda ZJ, Welti-Chanes J, Sanz PD, et al. . Formation risk of toxic other unwanted compounds in pressure-assisted thermally processed foods. J Food Sci. (2012) 77:R1–10. 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02451.x PubMed DOI

Sevenich R, Bark F, Crews C, Anderson W, Pye C, Riddellova K, et al. . Effect of high pressure thermal sterilization on the formation of food processing contaminants. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol. (2013) 20:42–50. 10.1016/j.ifset.2013.07.006 DOI

Sevenich R, Kleinstueck E, Crews C, Anderson W, Pye C, Riddellova K, et al. . High-pressure thermal sterilization: food safety and food quality of baby food puree. J Food Sci. (2014) 79:M230–7. 10.1111/1750-3841.12345 PubMed DOI

Kessler H-G. Food Bio Process Engineering: Dairy Technology. Munich: Verlag A. Kessler; (2002).

Mesias M, Wagner M, George S, Morales FJ. Impact of conventional sterilization and ohmic heating on the amino acid profile in vegetable baby foods. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol. (2016) 34:24–8. 10.1016/j.ifset.2015.12.031 DOI

Hradecky J, Kludska E, Belkova B, Wagner M, Hajslova J. Ohmic heating: a promising technology to reduce furan formation in sterilized vegetable and vegetable/meat baby foods. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol. (2017) 43:1–6. 10.1016/j.ifset.2017.07.018 DOI

Jaeger H, Roth A, Toepfl S, Holzhauser T, Engel KH, Knorr D, et al. . Opinion on the use of ohmic heating for the treatment of foods. Trends Food Sci Technol. (2016) 55:84–97. 10.1016/j.tifs.2016.07.007 DOI

Adams MR, Moss MO, McClure P. Food Microbiology. 4 edition. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry; (2015).

Somavat R, Mohamed HMH, Chung Y-K, Yousef AE, Sastry SK. Accelerated inactivation of {Geobacillus} stearothermophilus spores by ohmic heating. J Food Eng. (2012) 108:69–76. 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2011.07.028 DOI

Somavat R, Mohamed HMH, Sastry SK. Inactivation kinetics of {Bacillus} coagulans spores under ohmic and conventional heating. LWT - Food Sci Technol. (2013) 54:194–8. 10.1016/j.lwt.2013.04.004 DOI

Schottroff F, Pyatkovskyy T, Reineke K, Setlow P, Sastry SK, Jaeger H. Mechanisms of enhanced bacterial endospore inactivation during sterilization by ohmic heating. Bioelectrochemistry. (2019) 130:107338. 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2019.107338 PubMed DOI

Zell M, Lyng JG, Morgan DJ, Cronin DA. Minimising heat losses during batch ohmic heating of solid food. Food Bioprod Process. (2011) 89:128–34. 10.1016/j.fbp.2010.04.003 DOI

Tucker G, Featherstone S. Essentials of Thermal Processing. (2010). 10.1002/9781444328622 DOI

Holdsworth D, Simpson R. eds. Sterilization, pasteurization and cooking criteria. In: Thermal Processing of Packaged Foods Food Engineering Series. Boston, MA: Springer; (2007). p. 123–41. 10.1007/978-0-387-72250-4_4 DOI

Sharma G, Bala R. Digital Color Imaging Handbook. Boca Rotten, FL: CRC Press; (2017).

Shim SM, Lim SY. Texture properties and radical scavenging ability of porridge products based on beans, grains, and nuts. J Korean Soc Appl Biol Chem. (2013) 56:77–82. 10.1007/s13765-012-2219-x DOI

Forstova V, Belkova B, Riddellova K, Vaclavik L, Prihoda J, Hajslova J. Acrylamide formation in traditional Czech leavened wheat-rye breads and wheat rolls. Food Control. (2014) 38:221–6. 10.1016/j.foodcont.2013.10.022 DOI

Moravcova E, Vaclavik L, Lacina O, Hrbek V, Riddellova K, Hajslova J. Novel approaches to analysis of 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol esters in vegetable oils. Anal Bioanal Chem. (2012) 402:2871–83. 10.1007/s00216-012-5732-1 PubMed DOI

Bhave A, Schulzova V, Chmelarova H, Mrnka L, Hajslova J. Assessment of rosehips based on the content of their biologically active compounds. J Food Drug Anal. (2017) 25:681–90. 10.1016/j.jfda.2016.12.019 PubMed DOI PMC

Tucker G. (2014). Fruits and {Vegetables}. Ohmic Heat. Food Process.

Kaur R, Gul K, Singh AK. Nutritional impact of ohmic heating on fruits and vegetables—{A} review. Cogent Food Agric. (2016) 2:1159000. 10.1080/23311932.2016.1159000 DOI

Yildiz H, Icier F, Baysal T. Changes in β-carotene, chlorophyll color of spinach puree during ohmic heating. J Food Process Eng. (2009) 33:763–73. 10.1111/j.1745-4530.2008.00303.x DOI

Icier F, Yildiz H, Baysal T. Peroxidase inactivation and colour changes during ohmic blanching of pea puree. J Food Eng. (2006) 74:424–9. 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2005.03.032 DOI

Schottroff F, Biebl D, Gruber M, Burghardt N, Schelling J, Gratz M, et al. . Inactivation of vegetative microorganisms by ohmic heating in the kilohertz range – Evaluation of experimental setups and non-thermal effects. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol. (2020) 63:1–11. 10.1016/j.ifset.2020.102372 DOI

Sevenich R, Bark F, Kleinstueck E, Crews C, Pye C, Hradecky J, et al. . The impact of high pressure thermal sterilization on the microbiological stability and formation of food processing contaminants in selected fish systems and baby food puree at pilot scale. Food Control. (2015) 50:539–47. 10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.09.050 DOI

Olivier SA, Smith R, Bull MK, Chapman B, Knoerzer K. Apparatus for the simultaneous processing of mesophilic spores by heat-only and by high pressure and heat in a high pressure vessel to investigate synergistic spore inactivation. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol. (2015) 27:35–40. 10.1016/j.ifset.2014.12.003 DOI

European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/ 2158 - of 20 November 2017 - establishing mitigation measures benchmark levels for the reduction of the presence of acrylamide in food. Off J Eur Union (2017) 21:24–44. Available online at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/2158/oj

EFSA . Call for Continuous Collection of Chemical Contaminants Occurrence Data in Food and Feed. (2018). Available online at: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/consultations/call/190410

Becalski A, Hayward S, Krakalovich T, Pelletier L, Roscoe V, Vavasour E. Development of an analytical method and survey of foods for furan, 2-methylfuran and 3-methylfuran with estimated exposure. Food Addit Contam - Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. (2010) 27:764–75. 10.1080/19440040903473332 PubMed DOI

Maga JA, Katz I. Furans in foods. C R C Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. (1979) 11:355–400. 10.1080/10408397909527268 PubMed DOI

Limacher A, Kerler J, Conde-Petit B, Blank I. Formation of furan and methylfuran from ascorbic acid in model systems and food. Food Addit Contam. (2007) 24:122–35. 10.1080/02652030701393112 PubMed DOI

Fromberg A, Sisse F, Granby K. Furan in heated processed foods products including home cooked food products and ready-toeat products. Czech J Food Sci. (2014) 32:443–8. 10.17221/341/2013-CJFS DOI

Sharma KD, Karki S, Thakur NS, Attri S. Chemical composition, functional properties and processing of carrot-A review. J Food Sci Technol. (2012) 49:22–32. 10.1007/s13197-011-0310-7 PubMed DOI PMC

Belitz HD, Grosch W, Schieberle P. Food chemistry. (2009). Springer; Berlin Heidelberg.

Studer A, Blank I, Stadler RH. Thermal processing contaminants in foodstuffs and potential strategies of control. Czech J Food Sci. (2004) 22:1–88. 10.17221/10600-CJFS DOI

Hasnip S, Crews C, Castle L. Some factors affecting the formation of furan in heated foods. Food Addit Contam. (2006) 23:219–27. 10.1080/02652030500539766 PubMed DOI

Märk J, Pollien P, Lindinger C, Blank I, Märk T. Quantitation of furan and methylfuran formed in different precursor systems by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. J Agric Food Chem. (2006) 54:2786–93. 10.1021/jf052937v PubMed DOI

Vranová J, Ciesarová Z. Furan in food – a review. Czech J Food Sci. (2009) 27:1–10. 10.17221/2843-CJFS DOI

Crews C. Fatty Acid Esters of Chloropropanols and Glycidol in Foods – Analysis and Exposure. (2012). Available online at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14389312/113/3

Sevenich R, Rauh C, Knorr D. A scientific and interdisciplinary approach for high pressure processing as a future toolbox for safe and high quality products: a review. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol. (2016) 38:65–75. 10.1016/j.ifset.2016.09.013 DOI

Kettlitz B, Scholz G, Theurillat V, Cselovszky J, Buck NRO, Hagan S, et al. . Furan and methylfurans in foods: an update on occurrence, mitigation, and risk assessment. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. (2019) 18:738–52. 10.1111/1541-4337.12433 PubMed DOI

Nie SP, Huang JG, Hu JL, Zhang YN, Wang S, Li C, et al. . Effect of pH, temperature and heating time on the formation of furan in sugar-glycine model systems. Food Sci Hum Wellness. (2013) 2:87–92. 10.1016/j.fshw.2013.05.001 DOI

Adams A, Bouckaert C, Van Lancker F, De Meulenaer B, De Kimpe N. Amino acid catalysis of 2-alkylfuran formation from lipid oxidation-derived α,β-unsaturated aldehydes. J Agric Food Chem. (2011) 59:11058–62. 10.1021/jf202448v PubMed DOI

Palmers S, Grauwet T, Kebede BT, Hendrickx ME, Loey A. Reduction of furan formation by high-pressure high-temperature treatment of individual vegetable purées. Food Bioprocess Technol. (2014). 10.1007/s11947-014-1300-3 DOI

Hutschenreuther S, Kalb N, Kuslys M, Weber F. Range of Aseptically Produced Infant Foods Having Low Concentrations of Undesired by-Products and Methods for Making the Same. (2009). Available online at: https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2009030488&recNum=213&docAn=EP2008007263&queryString=ALL:(gooseberry)&maxRec=948

Owczarek-Fendor A, De Meulenaer B, Scholl G, Adams A, Van Lancker F, Eppe G, et al. . Furan formation in starch-based model systems containing carbohydrates in combination with proteins, ascorbic acid and lipids. Food Chem. (2012) 133:816–21. 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.01.098 DOI

Shen M, Liu Q, Jia H, Jiang Y, Nie S, Xie J, et al. . Simultaneous determination of furan and 2-alkylfurans in heat-processed foods by automated static headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. LWT - Food Sci Technol. (2016) 72:44–54. 10.1016/j.lwt.2016.04.030 DOI

Habibi H, Mohammadi A, Hoseini H, Mohammadi M, Azadniya E. Headspace liquid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for determination of furanic compounds in baby foods and method optimization using response surface methodology. Food Anal Methods. (2013) 6:1056–64. 10.1007/s12161-012-9510-7 DOI

Australian Food Database . Food Nutrient Database. (2020). p. 1–2. Available online at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12161-012-9510-7

Sánchez C, Baranda AB, De Marañón IM. The effect of High Pressure and High Temperature processing on carotenoids and chlorophylls content in some vegetables. Food Chem. (2014) 163:37–45. 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.04.041 PubMed DOI

Maiani G, Castón MJP, Catasta G, Toti E, Cambrodón IG, Bysted A, et al. . Carotenoids: actual knowledge on food sources, intakes, stability and bioavailability and their protective role in humans. Mol Nutr Food Res. (2009) 53 (Suppl. 2):S194–218. 10.1002/mnfr.200800053 PubMed DOI

Dhuique-Mayer C, Servent A, Messan C, Achir N, Dornier M, Mendoza Y. Bioaccessibility of Biofortified Sweet Potato Carotenoids in Baby Food: Impact of Manufacturing Process. Front Nutr. (2018) 5:98. 10.3389/fnut.2018.00098 PubMed DOI PMC

Mayer-Miebach E, Behsnilian D. Lutein- and Zeaxanthin (bio)availability due to thermal processing of orange pepper. Jahresbericht. (2006).

Chen BH, Peng HY, Chen HE. Changes of carotenoids, color, and vitamin a contents during processing of carrot juice. J Agric Food Chem. (1995) 43:1912–8. 10.1021/jf00055a029 DOI

Liao H, Sun Y, Ni Y, Liao X, Hu X, Wu J, et al. . The effect of enzymatic mash treatment, pressing, centrifugation, homogenization, deaeration, sterilization and storage on carrot juice. J Food Process Eng. (2007) 30:421–35. 10.1111/j.1745-4530.2007.00118.x DOI

Tola YB, Ramaswamy HS. Effect of novel processing techniques on texture softening and β-carotene content of thermally processed carrots. Food Bioprocess Technol. (2014) 7:2986–99. 10.1007/s11947-014-1286-x DOI

Mannozzi C, Fauster T, Haas K, Tylewicz U, Romani S, Dalla Rosa M, et al. . Role of thermal and electric field effects during the pre-treatment of fruit and vegetable mash by pulsed electric fields (PEF) and Ohmic heating (OH). Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol. (2018) 48:131–7. 10.1016/j.ifset.2018.06.004 DOI

Al-Ghamdi S, Sonar CR, Patel J, Albahr Z, Sablani SS. High pressure-assisted thermal sterilization of low-acid fruit and vegetable purees: microbial safety, nutrient, quality, and packaging evaluation. Food Control. (2020) 114:107233. 10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107233 DOI