Effects of electrotechnologies on enzymes in foods and food model systems

DeniKostelac, PredragPutnik, Ksenija Markov, Jadranka Frece, Danijela Bursac Kovacevic

Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Electrotechnologies gained increased popularity as non-thermal processing of foods as they offer many advantages over conventional thermal processing. These technologies effectively inactivate microorganisms, enhance the processing efficacy at lower treatment intensity (e.g. pressing, pre-treatment for drying, extraction etc.) with preservation of nutritional, functional and sensory characteristics of processed foods. Moreover, these technologies can be applied for targeted and controlled enzymatic treatments. Structural and conformational changes under these treatments may influence enzymatic inactivation, but also activate enzymes or enhance their activity. Therefore, the enzyme characteristics and treatment conditions could be finely tuned toward desirable properties and effects in food production and processing.