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2026-03-30
A Low-Current Pulsed Electric Field Treatment System for Fruit Juices: Air-Gap Optimisation and Assessment of Microbial Inactivation
By
Progress In Electromagnetics Research C, Vol. 168, 26-38, 2026
Abstract
The use of electromagnetic fields to preserve food items by inactivating microorganisms is gaining increasing popularity. Among the different electromagnetic treatments used for fruit juice preservation, Pulsed Electric Field treatment is a prominent method. However, in the Pulsed Electric Field treatment chambers used today, the current flow and energy dissipation within the juice are very high. These high currents cause unwanted electrochemical reactions inside the juice and also raise its temperature. This work introduces a method to prevent these by reducing the current flow with the help of an air gap inside the Pulsed Electric Field treatment chamber. A mathematical model of the proposed system was created, and the reduced current values were calculated. Simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics software were conducted to analyse the electric field distribution and the increase in juice temperature. The optimum value of air gap that can be provided inside the chamber without the risk of electrical breakdown was determined through simulations of electric field intensities and later confirmed through experiments. The effectiveness of the proposed system in inactivating microbes was assessed through microbiological experiments using Escherichia coli bacteria in watermelon juice. According to the experimental results, the proposed system successfully achieved bacterial inactivation with a low current value and without any measurable increase in juice temperature. To the best of our knowledge, there are very limited studies addressing the reduction of current flow within a Pulsed Electric Field treatment chamber through the incorporation of air gaps. In the future, this novel method for preserving fruit juices could prove highly beneficial to the food processing industry.
Citation
Thomas Mohan, Aswini Sivadas Choolangal, Noorul Haque Mohamed Noor, Krishnan Jagada Suja, Karakkat Mana Sunitha, and Tharamel Vasu Suchithra, "A Low-Current Pulsed Electric Field Treatment System for Fruit Juices: Air-Gap Optimisation and Assessment of Microbial Inactivation," Progress In Electromagnetics Research C, Vol. 168, 26-38, 2026.
doi:10.2528/PIERC26011102
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