Start of the research project: Inactivation of endospores by means of pulsed electrical fields

Bacterial endospores are extremely tolerant against environmental factors such as heat, radiation and chemicals. The inactivation of these spores in food, for example soups and sauces, vegetable juices or dairy products, requires treatment temperatures above 100 °C. Despite the development of product-preserving high temperature short time processes, a thermal sterilization of these products is often connected with undesired product quality changes.

Within the scope of a research project, the DIL is developing a product-friendly sterilization process. Using a combination of pulsed electrical fields and thermal energy, the germ count in the products shall be reduced and the product quality enhanced. Using a sequenced process (hurdles) with different inactivation mechanisms, both treatment temperature and holding time can be significantly reduced.

Since 2008, the DIL has been developed continuous equipment for the application of pulsed electrical fields. This process known as ELCRACK® has already been successfully applied to the pasteurization of food. It was found that a treatment at a temperature of 85 °C resulted in a 4-log inactivation of Bacillus subtilis. Within the scope of this project, the inactivation of bacterial endospores using a combination of this process and of thermal energy will be systematically investigated for the first time.

The research project is supported by the Research Association of the Food Industry (FEI) (AiF FEI 16798 N) as well as by enterprises from the soup and dairy industry.

Contact person:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Toepfl
Prof.-v.-Klitzing-Str. 7
D-49610 Quakenbrueck

Tel.:  +49 (0) 5431 183 140
Fax: +49 (0) 5431 183 114
E-Mail: s.toepfl@dil-ev.de