EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION

Dr H N Mishra Professor of Food Technology Agricultural & Food Engineering Department Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302

Indias economy is predominantly agrarian. Agriculture contributes to about 33% of the GDP, supports 69% of workforce, and earns 19% of export. With a total crop output of over 600 million tonnes, India is only marginally less than the United States (608 million tonnes) and second to China (800 million tonnes). Apart from this, India is the second largest producer of fruits (46 million tonnes) and vegetables (80 million tonnes) next to Brazil and China, respectively, and has the largest livestock population of about 500 - 520 million (53 % of worlds buffalo population and 45% of sheep). India ranks first in milk production (74 million tonnes). It is known as the land of spices producing all varieties (25 - 30% of world spice production) worth over Rs.3500 crores. India produces nearly 22 million tonnes of oil seeds apart from tea, coffee, cocoa and cashew. It is also having 8041 kms long coastal line, 28000 km of rivers and millions of hectares of reservoirs and brackish water which serve as potential for the production of larger marine products and varied fish resources. Though India produces more raw materials for food and has reached self sufficiency, the projected population growth of 1500 million by 2030 AD and challenges in the areas of productivity and production should not be ignored. The everincreasing population not only demands food to live but also fibers to wear and shelter to reside. All these share the lands already under production and thereby reduce its availability for cultivation. It, therefore, become imperative to increase the food material availability by reducing the post harvest losses which account for 10 - 15% in the case of durables and 25 to 30 per cent in the case of perishables. By converting all agricultural and allied production into food or value added products, it is possible to feed another 117 million population.

As on date, in India, less than 2% of the farm produce is processed and 7% of them is converted as value added products. Indian food industry value is over Rs. 5, 00,000 crores and the worth of value added foods produced from these industries is over Rs. 2,25,000 crores. The food industry in India is, however, caught in a vicious cycle which is typified by inefficiencies, wastages and value loss of the order of Rs.50,000 crores. This may be mainly due to the adoption of obsolete technologies, inefficient methods and operated by unskilled or non-technical persons. To

2 overcome this, it is important that the industry adopts new and improved technologies for food processing. These improved technologies will not only increase the shelf life, but also improve the quality, preserve nutritional and sensory value of food materials produced up to the point of consumption.

1. Non-Thermal Processes

Non-thermal processes for the preservation of foods are under intense research to evaluate their potential as alternative or complementary processes to traditional methods of food preservation. Traditionally most preserved foods are thermally processed by subjecting them to a high temperature of 60-1000C for a few seconds to minutes to transfer energy to foods. This energy may trigger unwanted reaction in food leading to certain undesirable changes. Form example, milk so processed may have a cooked flavor accompanied by a loss of certain vital nutrients and flavors. In non-thermal method the losses in quality degradation are minimum and they utilize less energy as compared to high temperature processing.

Although, these technologies for inactivating the microorganisms without relying on the heat are no new concepts, but their developments for use as food preservation treatments has received considerable attention recently. These techniques have the ability to inactivate the microorganisms at ambient or near ambient temperatures, thereby, avoiding the deleterious that heat has on the flavor, colour, and nutrients contents. Non-thermal techniques such as high intensity ultrasound, high hydrostatic pressure, pulsed electric fields, ultraviolet light, pulsed light and oscillatory magnetic fields are intending for applications as microbial inactivation processes during food manufacture.

1.1 Ultrasound method (USM)

Ultrasound is probably the most simple and most versatile method for the disruption of cells and for the production of extracts. It is efficient safe and reliable. Ultrasound techniques have the relatively low cost and robust process. Ultrasound cavitation creates shear forces that break cell walls mechanically and improves material transfer. This effect is being used in the extraction of liquid compounds from solid cells. The compound to be dissolved into a solvent is enclosed in an insoluble structure. In order to

3 extract it, the cell membrane must be destructed. For the purpose, ultrasound is faster and more completed than maceration or stirring. The particle size reduction by the ultrasonic cavitation increases the surface area in contact between the solid and liquid phase, significantly. The mechanical activity of this technique enhances the diffusion of the solvent into the tissue; Ultrasound breaks the cell wall mechanically by the cavitation shear forces at it facilitate the transfer from the cell into the solvent.

This technique has potential advantages over other techniques including freedom from radiation hazards, which may appear in some of the existing non-destructive methods. The presence of the small gas bubbles in a sample can greatly attenuate ultrasound making signal detection impossible. This can be solved by using reflection measurements rather than transmission measurement.

In United States, ultrasound techniques are being used for processing of fresh juices like oranges, mango, grape fruit, plum, purees, sauces and dairy products. Oil extraction from oil seed, cell membrane permeabilization of fruits like grapes, plums and mango, extraction of lipids and proteins from plant seeds such as soybean, extraction of phenolic compound s from vascular structures by disrupting plant tissues etc are also achieved by this method. The most effective use is for microbial and enzyme inactivation. This technique is used even in the emulsification, dispersing and homogenizing as well as to improve chemical reactions and surface chemistry or to influence crystallization process.

1.2 Nanotechnology (NT)

The nanotechnology is no longer an empty buzz word, but is an indispensable reality in food industry for designing food by shaping molecules and atoms. Narmoscal biotech and nano-bioinformation will have big impacts on the food security and food processing industries. The novel physical, chemical and biological properties of systems with structural features in the length scale for nanotechnology (1-100 nanometers) can allow a new understanding of biological and physical phenomenon in agricultural and food systems. This technique allows to measures control and manipulates matter at the nano scale to change those properties and functions to the benefit of consumers.

4 The impact of nanotechnology is huge, ranging from nutrition delivery to intelligent packaging. Nano devices such as tiny sensors and diagnostic machines cannot only help to ensure food safety but also help to determine the harmful microbes and determine the self life of the processed food. Some of the nano tech innovations in food have potential to deliver. Food that can alter its color, flavor or nutrient to suit each consumer preference or health requirements. Filters that can take our toxin and modify flavors by sifting through certain molecules based on their shape instead of size. Packaging can detect when its contents are spoiling and change colour to warn consumers. It can be applied in micro fluidics, BioMEMS, nucleic acid, bioengineering, small treatment delivery system, nano bioprocess and bioanalytical nano sensors.

In USA, nano milk product with nano particle that ensure faster release of calcium into the body is available. Other products available with novel carriers for nutraceutical, including lycopene, beta carotene, lutein and phytosterols as these products icrease the transport of nutrients through gut membranes and the blood stream.

1.3 Oscillating magnetic fields (OMF)

Inactivating microbes has the potential to pasteurize food with an improvement in the quality and shelf-life compared to conventional pasteurization processes. Strong static or oscillating magnetic fields (5-50 TesLa) have the potential to inactivate the vegetative microorganisms. The impulse duration is in between 10us and several milliseconds and the frequencies are maximally 500 MHz because above this items begin to warm up noticeably. The preservation of foods with oscillating magnetic field involves sealing of foods in a plastic bags and subjecting it into 1-100 pulses in can OMF at temperature of 00C to 500C for a total exposure time ranging from 25 to 100 minutes. And for this no special preparation of food is required. Magnetic field treatments are carried out at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature that stabilizes the food material. It does not have any influence on the organoleptic properties as the temperature raises only 2-50C.

1.4 High pressure processing (HPP)

In this food processing method the food is subjected to very high pressure (up to 8.4 kg/cm2) to kill bacteria present in the raw food. This technique can improve food safety by destroying the bacteria that can cause food borne illness and spoilage and parasites that causes diseases. High pressure works like heat to kill bacteria, but the food remains fresh and rich. In a typical process,

5 pre-packaged raw product is placed in a pressure chamber and subjected to very high pressures for specific time (< 10 minutes). This process causes high changes in the characteristics of food. The foods can be kept for a longer period under better condition. Small molecules which are the characteristics of flavouring and nutritional components typically remain unchanged by pressure. These pressure processed foods have better texture, nutrient retention and colour compared to heat processed foods. Any food with sufficient moisture can be subjected to high pressure processing. This technique can be used to process both the liquid and solid foods expect for food materials containing large quality of air pockets.

In general high pressure technology can replace or supplement conventional thermal processing for reducing microbial load and changing theology and also replace chemical preservatives which do not satisfy consumer acceptance. At present, HPP is used mainly for processing high value or novel products of superior quality. These produces are commercially available in US and Japan market. Food products that have been brought to the market that currently employ high pressure processing in their manufacture include fruit jellies, jams, fruit juices, pourable salad dressings, rice products, hams and oysters. The other potential applications include processing shelf-stable products, blanking and pressure assisted freezing and thawing. This technique was first time used by Royer (1895) to kill bacteria and subsequently in 1899 by Hite to see its effect on milk, meat, fruits and vegetables. In Japan, in 1990 first commercial products like fruit juices, jams, fruit topping and tenderized meats were introduced. HPP treatment consumes less energy e.g. energy required pressurization at 400 MPa is equivalent to heating the same material at 300C. The main benefit of HPP in food processing include inactivation of microorganisms, structural modification of biopolymers and depression of freezing point of water. These could be used advantageously in several segments of food industry including sea food meat and meat industry. In meat industry, this helps to retain the functional properties of pre-rigour meat, improve its quality and tenderization, cohesiveness, avoid chilling immediately after slaughtering, thus saving energy. In dairy industry, the HPP benefits include homogenization of milk and milk products and coagulation of milk and preparation of milk gels and emulsions with novel texture. Other benefits includes prolongation of refrigerated shelf-life of perishable items such as spread, emulsified sauces etc. and also aids in the removal of Blactoglobulin from whey concentrates and acceleration of bovine milk curdling by rennet.

Since 1990 onwards, in Japan, HPP treated jam prepared from strawberries, kiwi fruit and apples are available without any application of heat treatment. HPP treated orange juices, pickles, soybean paste, rice, seaweeds are available in Japanese markets.

1.5 High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) technique

Hydrostatic pressure technology is a novel, non-thermal food processing technology whereby foods are subjected to high hydrostatic pressure, generally in the range of 100 - 600 mpa, at or around room temperature. Just as high temperature inactivates microorganisms, so high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), whether or not in combination with moderately elevated or reduced temperature, inactivates vegetative microorganisms, spores and enzymes and, as such, allows one to achieve increase in the shelf-life of foods. Since HHP denatures proteins and polysaccharides, the technology also presents interesting applications in the area of food texturization. In both areas, preservation and texturization, the non-thermal character of the technology opens up unique opportunities to the food industry for the development of novel foods of superior nutritional and sensory quality, novel texture, more convenience, higher safety with increased shelf life at condition chilled or ambient.

This technique practiced in ceramic technology for the development of electronic components was introduced in food processing by Hite in 1899 by demonstrating the coagulating egg albumen. In 1924, the potential of HPP in commercial fruit and vegetable processing was recognized. Thereafter, in Japan and in certain European countries, the use of this technique was started seriously. The HHP is expected to offer commercially feasible alternatives to conventional technologies and find its niche applications in the growing market of high quality, high priced foods. The effect of hydrostatic pressure in a food product is dependent up on the amount of pressure applied, duration of compression, depressurization rate, temperature of the treatment product water activity and salt concentration etc.

This technique works in two basic principles that determine the effect of high pressure on foods. The first is the Pascals isostatic principle which include that the pressure applied to a sample including biological products is transmitted in a uniform and quasi-instantaneous manner. The pressurization process is independent of the sample volume, product size and geometry, in contact to the thermal processing. The processing by HPP is carried out usually in a low compressibility liquid such as water. The second principle is that of Lechatelier which states that phenomenon of phase transition chemical changes etc are accompanied by decrease in volume are favoured by pressure and vice versa. Pressure influences most biochemical reactions occurring in foods since they often involve a change in volume. Pressure may also inhabit the availability of energy by affecting energy producing enzymatic reactions.

2. Microwave Processing

The increasing consumer demands for foods which offer more convenience in usage and time savings in preparation made microwave over as an alternative for conventional thermal ovens. The microwave processing has been made use of for drying of fruit juices, pulps, apple segments and finished drying of potato chips. Microwaves are endowed with some special characteristics such as, high penetrating quality which results in the uniform heating of materials, selective absorption of radiation by liquid water and capacity for easy control. These impart some unique effects to the dehydrated material such as improved quality and good texture. In the wider field of preservation, microwaves have been used in drying, blanching and vacuum drying. Typical product areas where microwaves have been used commercially include blanching of vegetables, where it is claimed that there is less need for mechanical handling with consequent better product. Also, microwaves in combination with hot air have been shown to be a positive route to drying of food stuffs, in selective product areas, where, other methods cannot be employed. Finally, microwave vacuum drying has found some outlets in producing fruit juices and meat extracts. By aim of using microwave processing in preservation in general and pasteurization or sterilization in particular is to deliver a more homogeneous heat treatment at a faster rate than conventional method of heating.

3. Ohmic Heating

This technology has been around since early 1900s. The food processing researcher, however, began investigating the potential of ohmic heating on food quality and cost and energy savings in 1980s. In this method a AC current is pass through a food sample which leads to generate internal energy in foods. As a result an inside out heating patterns is generated. Ohmic heating is some what similar to microwave heating but with very different frequencies. The advantage of this technique is that it uniformly heats food with different densities such as chicken soup. The quality product with minimal structural nutritional and organoleptic changes can be produced.

Potential application of this technique includes blanching, evaporation, dehydration, fermentation and extraction. It saves significant time energy in hot air and freeze drying of foods and enhances extraction yields some processing operations. The parameters used during ohmic heating such as frequency of alternating current applied voltage and the temperature to which the

8 sample was heated have a significant effect on its success. The electrical conductivity is also a significant factor. The ohmic heating is useful for value added processing, and it has great potential for use in wide variety of food processing operations involving a heat and mass transfer. Ohmic heating is currently used in Europe, Asia and North America to produce a variety of high quality low and high acid products containing particulates.

Electrical resistance heating allows particles and liquids to heat at the same rate and permits the rapid heating of mixtures of high solid fractions. The technique has been applied to a number of food processes, and has recently been developed into a commercial process for the sterilization of food mixtures. Ohmic heating occurs, when an electric current is passed through an electrically conducive product. Low frequency current from domestic supply could be effectively used for ohmic heating. The ohmic heating has many advantages over conventional heating. Continuous processing is possible without any heat transfer surface. Liquid-solid mixture can be rapidly and evenly heated with minimal heat damage and residence time difference. Nutrient retention will also be more. This process can obtain fresher-tasting, high quality products with high microbiological safety. Maintenance cost is minimum due to absence of any moving parts. The process is easy to control. Ambient temperature storage and distribution is possible when combined with an aseptic filling system.

4. Membrane Technology

With the inception of new composite membranes and tubular system, reverse osmosis (RO) and ultra filtration (UF) are being used extensively in food and dairy industries. RO is a single phase concentration process which uses a pressure gradient across a semi permeable membrane to squeeze water through membrane. RO process is extremely energy efficient compared to both evaporation and freeze concentration. Ultra filtration uses much lower pressure 1 to 10 bars and much more open membranes, which pass salts, sugars and organics in the molecular range typically from 5,000 to 1,00,000 depending on the membrane type. It is limited by osmotic pressures, since the sugars are not concentrated.

Both RO and UF have promising uses in fruit and vegetable juice industry as a unit operation for concentration or aroma recovery and clarification of juices respectively. The primary goal of UF in fruit industry is to replace the holding filtration and decantation steps of traditional process. Enzyme treatment is required to reduce viscosity of juice by partially hydrolyzing.

It is a clarification process to remove pectin, enzyme and other fibrous components, constituting the clear juice. For separation of molecules, semi permeable membrane is used at a temperature of 50 -550C (high) on 10-150C (low), depending on the type of juice and sensitivity. Tubular modules can be used for viscous partially depectinized juice whereas where as pre filtration of juice is necessary when this channel on boiled fibre UF system is used. Many case studies have done on apple juice. UF system generates cost savings and manpower reduction, uses only electrical energy to raise the pressure of juice feed, operating costs are typically 5-10 times lower than normal operations, process control is simple, no cooling water equipment is needed and products have better flavour. In nutshell, UF has become economical viable alternative for clarification of juice in comparison to conventional method of clarification. RO is a well established process for concentration/pre concentration of raw and clear depectinized juice from fruits and vegetable. It consumes 10 times less energy for renouncing water when compared with conventional evaporators.

1.6 Pulsed Electric Field (PEF)

It was in US where in 1920s first attempt to treat milk with electro impulse was made. Further, experimentations followed in the 1960s primarily with in molecular biological research for incorporation of foreign gene materials into microorganisms. This technique involves application of pulse of high voltage (typically 20-80 KV/cm) to foods placed between two electrodes. Only pumpable food products can be treated. This is the more novel process. PEF imposes a strong electric field on a flowering fluid for a very short time. Above critical field strength of about 15,000 V/cm, vegetable cells are killed. Generally higher field strength up to about 35,000 V/cm for disinfection like destruction of bacteria, fungi and other microbes.

When exposed to high electric field pulses, cell membranes develop pores either by enlargement of existing pores or by creation of new ones. The pores increase membrane permeability allowing loss of cell contents or inclusion of surrounding media either of which can cause cell death. It has limited effect on pores and only appears to affect a few enzymes. PEF offers a five log reduction of most pathogens and is considered as a pasteurization process so products must be refrigerated. PEF also applies to fruit and vegetables cell well, concentration of sewage sludge. It kills live cells and reduces their ability to retain water, greatly improves filtration. Extraction of sugars from beats and starches from potatoes can also be improved by PEF.

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The important process variables of PEF include the electric field, temperature, pressure and time of exposure. PEF units differ primarily in their fluid handling capacity: OSU-4, has 0.5-1.0 cm diameter tubing; OSU-5, has 1 cm diameter tubing; and OSU-6, has 1-1.2 cm diameter tubing.

5. Food Irradiation

Food Irradiation is the new addition to the methods of food preservation. A great deal of work is being carried out at the utilization of ionizing radiation. The irradiation of foods does destroy the microorganisms and enzymes. It may be desirable to inactivate some enzymes by other means, in complementation to irradiation action. Irradiation does not leave any residue in foods like chemical and hence is safe. The sterilization of food with ionizing radiation involves a major consideration, the food products and suitable radiation source, since the temperature remains 450C. It is also called cold sterilization technique. These techniques in controlling the ripening process of fruits and also for checking sprouting of roots, tubers and bulbs apart from general food preservation techniques.

6. Modified and Controlled Atmosphere Storage

The main objective of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is to interrupt or slow down the derivative processes and also to prevent the attack of pathogens until the food is consumed. Controlled atmosphere (CA) is the alteration of the natural gaseous environment and maintenance of this atmosphere at pre specified conditions throughout the storage time. Modified atmosphere (MA) is the initial alteration of the gaseous environment in the immediate vicinity of stored and packaged product. These are used for retail distribution and for consumer product packages. The CA and MAP extend the shelf life of the product. Lot of work has been carried out and further research is on.