APPLICATION OF PULSED LIGHT IN SOLID AND SEMI-SOLID FOODS

As the fight against foodborne diseases continues, pulsed light (PL) continues to be a promising technology for the preservation and safe consumption of foods. Pulsed light technology comprises short high-power pulses of a broad spectrum ranging from UV to infrared radiation generated via inert-gas flash lamps. In this chapter, the applications of pulsed light in solid and semi-solid foods are discussed. Basic principles of pulsed light technology, equipment designed and used for the treatment of solid and semi-solid foods, critical parameters of pulsed light processing, effects of pulsed light on solid and semi-solid foods in terms of microbial inactivation and quality changes, and potential commercial applications of pulsed light in solid and semi-solid foods are mainly focused on.