Mathematical Modeling and Computational Approaches for Pulsed Electric Field Processing in Food Preservation: A Comprehensive Review

Pulsed electric field technology possesses a high potential and a bright future in food processing to inactivate microorganisms and reduce enzymatic activity. Processed food shows a higher retention of health-related compounds and an extension of the shelf-life compared to conventional pasteurization methods. This technology is gradually moving from the laboratory and pilot-plant scale to the commercial scale. In the current review, we focus on the way existing knowledge on mathematical modeling and computational approaches is structured, connected, and interpreted across scales. We start with the electroporation models, progressing from those that are derived from simple physical and chemical considerations to those that are based on more complex probabilistic approaches. They attempt to predict how electric pulses create pores in cell membranes and form the basis of kinetic inactivation models. Subsequently, we examine the most common kinetic models of microorganism inactivation, from first-order models to models based on random and probabilistic considerations. We then review the works carried out on the numerical simulations of the electric field in a continuous PEF chamber and the works related to coupled simulations of the electric, fluid flow, temperature, and inactivation kinetic field. Finally, we conclude the manuscript with a section dedicated to the current applications of the PEF process to demonstrate its effectiveness.