5-Pulsed Light Field Application in Meat and Meat Products
摘要
Pulse light (PL) treatments are considered an emergent, safe, and eco-friendly technology that could have applications on food, packages, or food contact materials since they have been proven capable of reducing microbial populations on their surfaces. This non-thermic technology replaces or could be complementary to chemical and thermic treatments applied to food to decontaminate pathogens and spoilage microorganisms on the surface. PL is based on the emission of short-duration pulses of high-intensity broad-spectrum light (radiations from a range of ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared), from an excited xenon lamp. The number of pulses and pulse characteristics are important to be reported, but it is mandatory to know the dose of PL treatment applied and quantified by the fluence. The present chapter describes PL foundations and recent research on the potential applications of PL on meat and meat products to assure safety and extend shelf life. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of PL. The procedure of PL treatment applied to meat and meat products is described with all the essential steps to warrant a successful and comparable application of this technology.