Revisiting the Sustainable Non-thermal Food Processing Technologies and Their Effects on Microbial Decontamination

Due to the increase in knowledge about the benefits of non-thermal food processing techniques on the nutritional composition and functional potential of the food systems, there has been a significant growth in shifting from the thermal to the non-thermal food processing techniques. The non-thermal food processing techniques are those techniques that work without do not application of heat for the processing and preservation of food. The basic aim of this review study is to throw light on the food processing by thermal and non-thermal techniques, types of different non-thermal food processing technologies and the microbial deactivation achieved by each of the techniques. Hence the study focuses on the different non-thermal food processing technologies currently prevalent in the food industry. The various non-thermal techniques covered in this study are the physical processing techniques namely High Pressure Processing (HPP), Pulsed Electric Field (PFE), Irradiation, Pulsed Light, Ultrasound and Oscillating Magnetic Field (OMF); chemical processing techniques namely Cold Plasma Processing and Ozone Treatment; and separation and concentration techniques namely Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Membrane Separation. The present endeavour revisits and highlights the destruction of specific pathogenic and food spoilage microorganisms and the overall effect on the microbial decontamination, thus ensuring food safety.