Applications of Ultrasound in Food Technology

Ultrasonic is a rapidly growing field of research, which is finding increasing use in the food industry for both the analysis and modification of food products. The sound ranges employed can be divided into high frequency, low energy diagnostic ultrasound and low frequency, high energy power ultrasound. The former is usually used as a non-destructive analytical technique for quality assurance and process control with particular reference to physicochemical properties such as composition, structure and physical state of foods. Nowadays, power ultrasound is considered to be an emerging and promising technology for industrial food processing. The use of ultrasound in processing creates novel and interesting methodologies which are often complementary to classical techniques. Various areas have been identified with great potential for future development: crystallisation, degassing, drying, extraction, filtration, freezing, homogenisation, meat tenderization, sterilization, etc. There is a wide scope for further research into the use of ultrasound in food processing both from an industrial and academic viewpoint.