Impact of Non-Thermal Technologies on the Quality of Nuts: A Review
Author/s
Sánchez Bravo, Paola; Noguera Artiaga, Luis; Gabaldón, José Antonio; Pérez López, Antonio José; Gómez López, Vicente Manuel; [et al.]Date
2022-12-02Discipline/s
Ciencias de la AlimentaciónSubject/s
Pulsed electric fieldPistachio
High pressure
Cold plasma
Almond
Irradiation
Mycotoxin
Pulsed light
Ultraviolet light
Ultrasound
Abstract
Nuts are widely consumed worldwide, mainly due to their characteristic flavor and texture, ease of consumption, and their functional properties. In addition, consumers increasingly demand natural or slightly processed foods with high quality. Consequently, non-thermal treatments are a viable alternative to thermal treatments used to guarantee safety and long shelf life, which produce undesirable changes that affect the sensory quality of nuts. Non-thermal treatments can achieve results similar to those of the traditional (thermal) ones in terms of food safety, while ensuring minimal loss of bioactive compounds and sensory properties, thus obtaining a product as similar as possible to the fresh one. This article focuses on a review of the main non-thermal treatments currently available for nuts (cold plasma, high pressure, irradiation, pulsed electric field, pulsed light, ultrasound and ultraviolet light) in relation to their effects on the quality and safety of nuts. All the treatments...