Design of a treatment chamber for low-voltage pulsed electric field sterilization

作者:Zhu, Ning; Wang, Yan-li; Zhu, Yue; Yang, Lan; Yu, Ning; Wei, Yulong; Zhang, Haiping; Sun, Ai-dong*
来源:Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 2017, 42: 180-189.
DOI:10.1016/j.ifset.2017.07.016

摘要

In this paper, different microchips were simulated by the finite element method (FEM) with the aim to clarify the effect of topological parameter on inactivating microorganisms vaccinated in blueberry juice under low voltage for 50-250 mu s and 20-100 pulses. For the planar comb teeth microchips in the first generation, only a 1.01 log(10), of Escherichia colt (E. colt) was achieved at 25 degrees C in all the solutions, then, with the aim to obtain a more uniform electric field distribution, an interdigitated electrode structure are used in the second-generation microchip which improved the inactivation effect of E. call up to 2.85 log(10) reduction. At the end, by considering the problems presented by the two aforementioned microchips, the structure of a parallel plate as the third-generation microchip was designed and the best experimental platform was built. This microtreatment chamber exhibited excellent inactivation effect on E. coil, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Staphylococcus aureus of 5.32, 5.42, and 4.77 log(10) cycles respectively. These results will provide a meaningful guidance in inactivate microorganisms by low-voltage PEF.