Food Processing & Technology

There is increasing consumer demand for foods that are safe, nutritious, fresh-like and devoid of synthetic food preservatives. While properly applied thermal processes such as heat pasteurization, ultra-high temperature, and canning can ensure microbial safety of foods, those processes can destroy heat labile nutrients and negatively alter certain sensory characteristics. Several chemical food preservatives such as potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, sulfites, nitrite and parabens have been traditionally used in foods to effectively control pathogenic and spoilage organisms; however, these preservatives are perceived

by consumers as substances that are unsafe and likely to have long-term negative effects on human health. Such consumer perception decreases acceptance of traditionally-processed foods that will in turn negatively affect food product sales and future industry income. In response to changing consumer expectations of food products, and challenges posed by thermal and certain other traditional food processes, many food manufacturers are ardently exploring the application of non-thermal processing technologies for foods. The aim of this symposium is to highlight the pros and cons of currently used and emerging non-thermal food processing technologies with emphasis on recent advances in food safety applications including hurdle technology approaches. Information will be presented on technologies including, but not limited, to high pressure processing, pulsed electric fields and preservation with naturally derived antimicrobials. The impact of these novel technologies on selected quality characteristics of foods will also be discussed. The symposium will involve presentations that will be delivered by food science and technology professionals from academia and industry who are active researchers in the area of enhancing food safety and quality.