Application of Ultrasound

This chapter contains a review of the most recent uses of power ultrasound in the food industry. The potential use of this novel technology to produce permanent changes in the material is discussed with respect to liquid systems (by the production of intense cavitation) and gases (by the generation of high-intensity acoustic fields). Mechanical, chemical and biochemical effects produced by the propagation of high-intensity ultrasonic waves through the medium are detailed, as is the inactivation of microorganisms and enzymes for food preservation or decontamination. The increasing number of industrial processes that employ power ultrasound as a processing aid are described, including the mixing of materials; foam formation or destruction; agglomeration and precipitation of airborne powders; the improvement in efficiency of filtration, drying and extraction techniques in solid materials and the enhanced extraction of valuable compounds from vegetables and food products.