Continuous-Flow Pulsed Electric Field Treatment of Potato Fiber: Effects on Microbial Load, Physicochemical Properties, and Functional Characteristics.
- 1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts & Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA.
Abstract
Potato fiber is a valuable coproduct of potato starch processing, but residual starch and microbial load can limit its quality and application as a food ingredient. This study evaluated continuous-flow pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment for non-thermal microbial reduction and modification of potato fiber properties. Initial batch experiments demonstrated limited microbial inactivation at low electric-field strengths, whereas higher field strengths improved microbial reduction. Continuous-flow treatment at 24 kV/cm was subsequently evaluated at specific energies of 50 and 100 kJ/L, classified as PEF50 and PEF100 respectively. PEF100 resulted in an approximate 1.6-log (96%) reduction in aerobic plate count (APC), greater than 2.5-log (99%) reduction in yeast, and greater than 1 log (97%) reduction in mold. PEF100 also significantly reduced residual starch from 31.7% to 26.8% and increased estimated fiber content from 54.9% to 59.3%. Water-holding capacity was not significantly reduced by PEF treatment, while oil-holding capacity increased modestly following PEF100 treatment. Ash content was unaffected, whereas protein content decreased from 5.8 to 4.7% following PEF treatment. The findings of this study demonstrate that continuous-flow PEF treatment at 100 kJ/L effectively reduced the microbial load and residual starch of potato fiber while maintaining, and in some cases improving, key physicochemical and functional properties.
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BibTeX
@article{sadeghi2026continuousflow,
title = {{Continuous-Flow Pulsed Electric Field Treatment of Potato Fiber: Effects on Microbial Load, Physicochemical Properties, and Functional Characteristics.}},
author = {Rohollah Sadeghi and Obediah C Rattray and Owen M McDougal},
journal = {Foods (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/foods15193415},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883522},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Continuous-Flow Pulsed Electric Field Treatment of Potato Fiber: Effects on Microbial Load, Physicochemical Properties, and Functional Characteristics.
AU - Rohollah Sadeghi
AU - Obediah C Rattray
AU - Owen M McDougal
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/24
JO - Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/foods15193415
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883522
AB - Potato fiber is a valuable coproduct of potato starch processing, but residual starch and microbial load can limit its quality and application as a food ingredient. This study evaluated continuous-flow pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment for non-thermal microbial reduction and modification of potato fiber properties. Initial batch experiments demonstrated limited microbial inactivation at low electric-field strengths, whereas higher field strengths improved microbial reduction. Continuous-flow treatment at 24 kV/cm was subsequently evaluated at specific energies of 50 and 100 kJ/L, classified as PEF50 and PEF100 respectively. PEF100 resulted in an approximate 1.6-log (96%) reduction in aerobic plate count (APC), greater than 2.5-log (99%) reduction in yeast, and greater than 1 log (97%) reduction in mold. PEF100 also significantly reduced residual starch from 31.7% to 26.8% and increased estimated fiber content from 54.9% to 59.3%. Water-holding capacity was not significantly reduced by PEF treatment, while oil-holding capacity increased modestly following PEF100 treatment. Ash content was unaffected, whereas protein content decreased from 5.8 to 4.7% following PEF treatment. The findings of this study demonstrate that continuous-flow PEF treatment at 100 kJ/L effectively reduced the microbial load and residual starch of potato fiber while maintaining, and in some cases improving, key physicochemical and functional properties.
SN - 2304-8158
ER -