Novel Thermal and Non-thermal Technologies towards Sustainability and Microbiological Food Safety and Quality

Dear Colleagues,

With the globalisation of the food trade and the emergence of new consumer habits, food production, processing, and distribution have undergone significant changes. These changes have continuously challenged the global food systems. However, every effort is being made to ensure that the food produced is healthy and safe, which is crucial to guarantee public health and well-being.

Thermal methods are generally performed in the food industry to prolong the product’s shelf life and inactivate spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Novel thermal technologies, such as ohmic heating and dielectric heating (e.g., microwave heating and radio frequency heating), have been developed to improve the effectiveness of heat processing whilst warranting food safety and eliminating undesirable impacts on the organoleptic and nutritional properties of foods.

The needs and preferences of consumers keep evolving, and the food industry must keep pace with the changes to grow and succeed. Consumers now demand products that are minimally processed and safe, with added value and long shelf lives, while also being more sustainable. This has led to the development of several green and non-thermal technologies that can help reduce energy consumption in the production, processing, and packaging of food. High-hydrostatic-pressure (HHP) processing, ultrasound (US), cold plasma (CP), pulsed electric fields (PEF), and electrolysed water (EW) are some methods that show the potential to be applied by the food industry. In addition, microfluidic technology and green extraction techniques are interdisciplinary with a diversity of applications, including in food processing.

This Special Issue focuses on the impact of both thermal and non-thermal technologies on the safety, quality and sustainability of food products.

Dr. Sotirios Oikonomou
Dr. Anastasia Kyriakoudi
Guest Editors

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