Non-Thermal Food Processing Technologies

Various processes are required to preserve and extend the shelf-life of food, many of which cause detrimental effects on the color and appearance of food. Alternative methods for the thermal processing of food are gaining importance day by day due to increased consumer demand for minimally processed fresh-like food products with high sensory, appearance, and nutritional qualities. This new book provides an informative overview of non-thermal food processing technologies that can preserve food color and appearance.

The book offers comprehensive coverage of the application of emerging technologies on the color profile of different food products, such as fruits, vegetables, beverages, dairy products, and meat. It discusses the influence and impact of emerging technologies on the color and appearance of foods and beverages, along with their challenges and prospects.

The food processing technologies discussed include cold plasma, ultrasound, microwave processing, ozone processing, ohmic heating, pulsed light, UV irradiation, pulsed electric field, high-pressure processing, vacuum frying, and others.

This book, Non-Thermal Food Processing Technologies: Impact on Color Profile, offers an important context on applying emerging food processing technologies to solve food safety issues and enhance shelf-life extension while paying attention to food appearance. It is an excellent resource for food engineers and technologists, processors, nutritionists, and food industry professionals for exploring new non-thermal techniques.

Kaavya Rathnakumar, PhD, is a Senior Food Scientist at Balchem Human Nutrition and Health, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Previously, she was an Innovation Scientist at Beyond Meat, Los Angeles, California, and a Postdoctoral Research Associate/Director at the Frozen Dessert Center, Department of Food Science at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. Her expertise includes waste by-product utilization using non-thermal and sustainable techniques, product and process development, ingredient formulations for dairy and non-dairy frozen desserts and beverages, plant-based meat analogs, strategic long-term innovation in dairy and plant-based proteins, milk lipids and phospholipids, structured fats, and emulsions through novel process engineering techniques. She is a member of various associations, including the Institute of Food Technologists, the American Association of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, the American Dairy Science Association, American Oil and Chemists’ Society. She has obtained nine international research awards, including the prestigious John Brandt Award from Land O’Lakes, Midwest Dairy, USA, and the Women in Engineering Award from the American Association of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in 2020. She has published over 22 peer-reviewed articles, nine book chapters, and three books and presented over 30 conference presentations. She is also a special editor for Journal of Food Quality. Dr. Rathnakumar earned her PhD in dairy and food science at South Dakota State University, USA, her Master of Engineering in food engineering and bioprocess technology at the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, and her bachelor’s in food processing engineering at the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology, India.

R. Pandiselvam, PhD, is a young academician actively engaged in food engineering research. He is currently a Scientist in the Physiology, Biochemistry and Post-Harvest Technology Division at the ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod, India. During the last five years, he has contributed in the design and development of a minimal processing machine for tender coconut, a continuous type coconut testa removing machine, tender coconut punching and cutting machine, and a preservation protocol for trimmed tender coconut. He was also a developer/co-developer of many value-added food products (Kalpa Krunch, Frozen Coconut Delicacy, matured coconut water-based beverages), which are commercialized by many entrepreneurs. Dr. Pandiselvam has authored over 185 articles published in national and international journals of repute. He has been the author or coauthor of five books and 60 book chapters. Dr. Pandiselvam is the Associate Editor of Measurement: Food (Elsevier) and Frontiers in Nutrition. Dr. Pandiselvam also features as an editorial board member of Food & Humanity, Ozone Science and Engineering, Journal of Texture Studies, and Quality Assurance, and Safety of Crops & Foods Journal. He was conferred with a National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) Young Scientist Award, NAAS Associate and Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers (ISAE)-Distinguished Service Award.