Book description
Dense phase carbon dioxide (DPCD) is a non-thermal method for food
and pharmaceutical processing that can ensure safe products with
minimal nutrient loss and better preserved quality attributes. Its
application is quite different than, for example, supercritical
extraction with CO 2 where the typical solubility of materials in CO 2
is in the order of 1% and therefore requires large volumes of CO 2. In
contrast, processing with DPCD requires much less CO 2 (between 5 to
8% CO 2 by weight) and the pressures used are at least one order of
magnitude less than those typically used in ultra high pressure (UHP)
processing. There is no noticeable temperature increase due to
pressurization, and typical process temperatures are around 40°C.
DPCD temporarily reduces the pH of liquid foods and because oxygen is
removed from the environment, and because the temperature is not high
during the short process time (typically about five minutes in
continuous systems), nutrients, antioxidant activity, and vitamins are
much better preserved than with thermal treatments. In pharmaceutical
applications, DPCD facilitates the production of micronized powders of
controlled particle size and distribution. Although the capital and
operating costs are higher than that of thermal treatments, they are
much lower than other non-thermal technology operations.
This book is the first to bring together the significant amount of
research into DPCD and highlight its effectiveness against
microorganisms and enzymes as well as its potential in particle
engineering. It is directed at food and pharmaceutical industry
scientists and technologists working with DPCD and other traditional
or non-thermal technologies that can potentially be used in
conjunction with DPCD. It will also be of interest to packaging
specialists and regulatory agencies.
Murat O Balaban, PhD is Professor of Food Processing and Engineering
in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of
Florida, Gainesville, FL. Current research areas include food processing
and engineering with emphasis on supercritical fluid technology;
mathematical modeling and computer vision applications, thermal
processing and reaction kinetics; ohmic thawing; and seafood processing
and technology. Dr. Balaban holds five US patents, including one for the
inactivation of enzymes in foods with pressurized CO2 and another for
the method and apparatus for continuous flow reduction of microbial
and/or enzymatic activity in a liquid beer product using carbon dioxide.
