Fermentation in emerging technologies process intensification
Back to EFFICIENCY FINDER OF FOOD INDUSTRY
Contents
General information
Fermentation is the controlled action of selected micro-organisms to alter the texture of foods, to preserve foods by the production of acids or alcohol, or to produce or modify flavors and aromas. It also preserves products by lowering the pH tolerance limits of many microorganisms. Fermentation is an important processing step for a number of FDM products. Typical applications include beer, wine, various dairy products, vegetables, meat and fish. Alcoholic fermentation is used in beer and winemaking and for the production of spirits, mostly with cereals, grape musts, sugar juices and molasses as a raw material. Lactic acid fermentation is used for making yoghurt and other fermented dairy products, fermented meat products such as certain types of sausages and vegetables, i.e. sauerkraut. In the lactic acid fermentation of vegetables, the sliced raw material, e.g. green cabbage in the case of sauerkraut production, is salted and then fermented under anaerobic conditions.
(European Commission, 2006)
Further Information: Fermentation in food industry
Description of technology, techniques and methods
Ultrasound technology
The use of the technology enables a reduction in the operation time with higher viable cells count. High potential in the dairy industry. When microbiological cultures for fermentation are treated by ultrasound, their activity is higher enabling a faster fermentation. In this same way, processing by ultrasound can reduce costs significantly, since fermentation time is shorter.
(Barukčić et al. 2015)
Further Information: ultrasound
Changes in the process
Energy saving potentials
Energy savings depend on the efficiency of the conventional processes and the one in the ultrasound generation. Due to the accelerated processing, energy reduction per unit produced can be expected.
Changes in the energy distribution system
Use of electricity use, replacing thermal energy when this is used in the fermentation processes (consequence of processing time reduction).
References
- Barukčić, I., Jakopović, K., Herceg, Z.,Karlović, S., Božanić, R. (2015) 'Influence of high intensity ultrasound on microbial reduction, physico-chemical characteristics and fermentation of sweet whey', Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 27(February), pp. 94-101.