Power ultrasonics for food processing

Power ultrasound generates a number of effects resulting from cavitation bubble collapse and other nonlinear phenomena that are beneficial in food processing. Ultrasound is widely investigated and proved to efficiently intensify extraction processes for proteins, oils, aromas, lipids, antioxidants, etc. Some of the most useful food processing applications are ultrasonically assisted emulsification, viscosity changes, defoaming, crystallization, fat separation, sterilization, and marination. All these effects have been observed in the laboratory, but larger scale equipment that allows many of these operations to be commercialized is now available. This chapter also considers the implications of hazard analysis critical control point analysis for ultrasound in food processing operations where industrial-scale applications are adopted.