Ohmic Heating and Moderate Electric Field Processing

Abstract

Ohmic heating has been revived in the 1980s and after a brief pause in the 1990s, has reemerged in a number of food processing applications. An offshoot, Moderate Electric Field (MEF) processing has emerged from the recognition that even relatively mild electric fields themselves have significant effects on food and other biological materials. A number of significant research areas have been identified in this connection. In addition, a discussion is provided on priorities for federal research funding, including the need for basic research balanced with industry relevance, availability of pilot facilities for development of new technologies, and potentially, a mechanism for helping inventions survive through the initial ``Valley of Death'' phase.