Food texture as affected by ohmic heating: Mechanisms involved, recent findings, benefits, and limitations. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gavahian, Mohsen; Tiwari, Brijesh K.; Chu, Yan-Hwa; Ting, Yuwen; Farahnaky, Asgar
• Is Part Of: Trends in food science & technology. Volume 86(2019)
• Page Start: 328
• Page End: 339
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: Food texture -- Hardness -- Ohmic heating -- Moderate electric field -- Emerging technologies -- Food quality; Food industry and trade -- Periodicals; Food -- Biotechnology -- Periodicals; 664.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2019.02.022
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0924-2244

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Food texture is an important quality characteristic that affects sensory perception and consumer satisfaction. Thermal processing applies to food material for several reasons including palatability improvement and shelf life extension. Ohmic heating is an energy- and time-saving technique that was previously proposed as an alternative to conventional heating methods in the food industry. Scope and approach: Investigating the effects of ohmic processes on food quality parameters, such as texture, is an important step towards the industrial adaptation of ohmic heating technology. This review focuses specifically on the effects of ohmic heating on food texture and tries to elucidate the mechanisms behind the changes in textural attributes during an ohmic process as compared to the classical heating method. Key findings and conclusions: Achieving a predefined product texture in a shorter time and the uniformity of product texture are among the benefits of ohmic heating. However, several challenges (e.g. the possibility of negative effects on the chemical composition of the product and high capital investment) should be addressed for the industrial adoption of this emerging technology. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Ohmic treatment can modify textural properties of food materials. This process can shorten the process time and reduce consumed energy. Both thermal and non-thermal effects of ohmic treatment can alter the product texture. Pretreatments, raw material, and process condition affect the product texture. The high capital investment and safety concerns and are among the obstacles for its industrial adaptation.