Quality-Related Enzymes in Plant-Based Products: Effects of Novel Food Processing Technologies Part 2: Pulsed Electric Field Processing

Pulsed electric field (PEF) processing is an effective technique for the preservation of pumpable food products as it inactivates vegetative microbial cells at ambient to moderate temperature without significantly affecting the nutritional and sensorial quality of the product. However, conflicting views are expressed about the effect of PEF on enzymes. In this review, which is part 2 of a series of reviews dealing with the effectiveness of novel food preservation technologies for controlling enzymes, the scientific literature over the last decade on the effect of PEF on plant enzymes is critically reviewed to shed more light on the issue. The existing evidence indicates that PEF can result in substantial inactivation of most enzymes, although a much more intense process is required compared to microbial inactivation. Depending on the processing condition and the origin of the enzyme, up to 97% inactivation of pectin methylesterase, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase as well as no inactivation have been reported following PEF treatment. Both electrochemical effects and Ohmic heating appear to contribute to the observed inactivation, although the relative contribution depends on a number of factors including the origin of the enzyme, the design of the PEF treatment chamber, the processing condition, and the composition of the medium.     

Quality-Related Enzymes in Plant-Based Products: Effects of Novel Food-Processing Technologies Part 3: Ultrasonic Processing

High-power ultrasound is a versatile technology which can potentially be used in many food processing applications including food preservation. This is part 2 of a series of review articles dealing with the effectiveness of nonthermal food processing technologies in food preservation focusing on their effect on enzymes. Typically, ultrasound treatment alone does not efficiently cause microbial or enzyme inactivation sufficient for food preservation. However, combined with mild heat with or without elevated pressure (P ≤ 500 kPa), ultrasound can effectively inactivate enzymes and microorganisms. Synergistic effects between ultrasound and mild heat have been reported for the inactivation of both enzymes and microorganisms. The application of ultrasound has been shown to enhance the rate of inactivation of quality degrading enzymes including pectin methylesterase (PME), polygalacturonase (PG), peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and lipoxygenase (LOX) at mild temperature by up to 400 times. Moreover, ultrasound enables the inactivation of relatively heat-resistant enzymes such as tomato PG1 and thermostable orange PME at mild temperature conditions. The extent to which ultrasound enhances the inactivation rate depends on the type of enzyme, the medium in which the enzyme is suspended, and the processing condition including frequency, ultrasonic intensity, temperature, and pressure. The physical and chemical effects of cavitation are considered to be responsible for the ultrasound-induced inactivation of enzymes, although the dominant mechanism depends on the structure of the enzyme.     

温度对黄皮果实PAL、POD和PPO活性的影响

为探明贮藏过程中温度对黄皮果实采后保鲜的效果,研究了2～4℃、6～8℃和10～12℃等不同贮藏温度对黄皮果实几种酶活性的影响。结果表明,贮藏温度在2～12℃时,贮藏温度越低,保鲜效果越好,适宜的贮藏温度为2～4℃。2～4℃贮藏的黄皮果实苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)活性高于6～8℃和10～12℃贮藏的果实,而过氧化物酶(POD)和多酚化物酶(PPO)活性低于6～8℃和10～12℃贮藏的果实。2～4℃贮藏能增强黄皮果实的防伤害能力,明显抑制黄皮的酶促反应,有利于贮藏期限的延长。