Research Progress on Power Ultrasound Technology

In recent years, power ultrasound (PU) has attracted considerable interest in food science and technology due to its promising applications in food processing and preservation. It is well known to have significant effects on the rate of various processes in the food industry, and it is recognized as innovative technology for achieving the objective of sustainable “green” chemistry and industrialization. Using ultrasound, food processes can be completed in seconds or minutes with higher reproducibility, lower processing costs, easier operation, higher product purity, elimination of post-treatment of waste water, and lower energy requirements than traditional processes. Several processes such as extraction, degradation, sterilization, and enzyme modification have been applied efficiently in the food industry. Food processes performed under ultrasound treatment will be affected by cavitation phenomena and mass transfer processes. This chapter presents the current knowledge on the applications of ultrasound in food processing.