"Technological convergence" of preventive nutrition with non thermal processing. (Special Issue: Innovative methods in food process engineering.)

ABSTRACT

Post COVID-19 pandemic realization and expanding consumer demand for functional nutrition have compelled the food industry to focus on one, clean-label technologies to improve energy expenditure, microbial inactivation, shelf stability, and retention of functional nutrients, and second on the systematic evaluation of food matrices for bioactive potential (functionality) and designing novel food matrices and products healthier than the existing formats. The food industry is rapidly heading toward a "technological convergence" with the goal of establishing highly efficient processing technologies for safe, shelf-stable functional products. Novelty impact statement In this review, we evaluated the utility and efficiency of various non-thermal processing technologies (cold plasma, ultra-sonication, high pressure, pulsed electric field, pulsed light processing) with respect to their capabilities to retain phytonutrient functionality and antioxidant potential in processed foods. The review also discusses existing gaps in current non thermal processing techniques and explores potential improvements necessary to foster reliable next-generation processing technologies.