Recent Research on and Development of Thermal and Pulsed Electric Field Systems for Pasteurization of Milk and Milk Products

우유 및 유제품의 열처리 및 펄스 전기장 살균 최근 연구 개발 동향

Thermal pasteurization has been effectively used for decades as a method to extend the shelf life of milk and to inactivate any pathogenic bacteria that it may contain; however, it can negatively affect the nutritional properties of milk. In recent years, the food industry has sought new, less aggressive technologies that affect food freshness and its nutritive and health benefits less significantly. Various means have been used to extend the shelf life of dairy foods, such as high-pressure processing, irradiation, ohmic heating, and pulsed electric field (PEF) technologies. Of these, PEF technologies are potential alternatives to traditional thermal milk pasteurization, owing to their advantages in minimizing sensory and nutritional damage. In this review, we have primarily focused on the feasibility of applying PEF technologies to the sterilization of dairy products and briefly discussed whether they should be adopted for use in the dairy beverage industry in the future.