Advances in innovative processing technologies for microbial inactivation and enhancement of food safety – pulsed electric field and low-temperature plasma

The need for enhancing microbial food safety and quality, without compromising the nutritional, functional and sensory characteristics of foods, has created an increasing world-wide interest in low-temperature innovative processes for food preservation. In contrast, to the traditional thermal processes, these emerging technologies are predominantly reliant on physical processes, including high hydrostatic pressures, pulsed electric fields and low-temperature plasmas that inactivate microorganisms at ambient or moderately elevated temperatures and short treatment times. The current review presents the latest developments in the two most recent of these technologies, pulsed electric field and low-temperature plasma treatments for food preservation and disinfection of food contact surfaces.