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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #296425
Title: Nonthermal processing by radio frequency electric fields

Author
item Geveke, David
item TRUJILLO, FRANCISCO - University Of New South Wales

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/25/2013
Publication Date: 12/1/2014
Citation: Geveke, D.J., Trujillo, F. 2014. Nonthermal processing by radio frequency electric fields. Book Chapter. Sun, D.W, editor. Emerging Technologies for Food Processing 2nd Edition. Amsterdam:Elsevier Academic Press. p. 259-269.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Radio frequency electric fields (RFEF) processing is relatively new and has been shown to inactivate bacteria in apple juice, orange juice and apple cider at moderately low temperatures. Key equipment components of the process include a radio frequency power supply and a treatment chamber that is capable of applying high electric fields to liquid foods. The process is similar to the pulsed electric fields process, except that the power supply is continuous rather than pulsed; therefore, the capital costs may be less. Using an 80 kW RFEF pilot plant unit, Escherichia coli K12 in apple cider flowing at 1.0 l/min was exposed to an electric field strength of 30 kV/cm at a frequency of 21 kHz. RFEF processing reduced the population of E. coli by 4.8 log at 60 deg C, whereas conventional heating at the same conditions had no effect. Similar results were obtained for orange juice and apple juice. The electrical cost of the RFEF processing was $0.005 per liter of apple cider. Increasing the electric field strength, number of treatment steps and temperature enhance the microbiological inactivation.