Non-Thermal Food Preservation: A Comprehensive Review of Emerging Processing Technologies

The food industry is currently undergoing a quiet transformation-one driven not by a single breakthrough, but by the convergence of evolving consumer expectations and technological innovation. As the demand for minimally processed, naturally preserved foods continues to rise, non-thermal preservation technologies have transitioned from the periphery of food engineering to its core [۱]. This review provides a structured and comparative exploration of seven such technologies: High Pressure Processing (HPP), Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF), Ultraviolet (UV) Irradiation, Ultrasound, Pulsed Light, and Cold Plasma. Each technology is critically evaluated in terms of its mechanistic principles, operational constraints, and practical applicability for extending shelf life within the context of industrial canning operations [۱]. Among these, HPP and PEF stand out for their ability to achieve microbial inactivation with minimal thermal impact, thereby preserving the sensory and nutritional integrity of food products. In contrast, UV irradiation, pulsed light, and cold plasma are constrained by limited penetration depth, making them most suitable for surface decontamination or treatment of transparent media. Ultrasound, meanwhile, functions less as a standalone sterilant and more as a synergistic enabling technology-enhancing mass transfer, improving extraction yields, and amplifying the effectiveness of complementary preservation hurdles [۱,۲]. A critical comparative assessment confirms what the literature increasingly suggests: no single non- thermal method is universally adequate. Industrial-scale microbial safety and quality retention are best achieved through the deliberate combination of multiple, synergistic barriers-an approach formally recognized as Hurdle Technology [۱,۲]. The review concludes by identifying four key prerequisites for the broader industrial translation of these technologies: (i) the development of cost-effective equipment, (ii) the expansion of application-oriented research, (iii) the harmonization of regulatory frameworks, and (iv) the cultivation of specialized workforce expertise [۱,۲].

کلیدواژه ها:

Non-thermal processing ، Canning innovation ، High Pressure Processing (HPP) ، Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) ، Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation ، Ultrasound ، Pulsed light ، Cold plasma ، Shelf-life extension ، Microbial safety ، Hurdle technology ، Quality preservation ، Emerging food technologies