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Recent advancements in ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) have allowed for their successful integration into continuous disinfection reactors including small-scale systems designed for low UV transmission (UVT) applications. This study characterized the performance of the first commercially available benchtop continuous-flow multiple-wavelength UV-LED system used for the treatment of juices and beverages in thin film. Three beverages (coconut water, blue lemonade, and pink lemonade), two juices (green juice blend and beet juice blend), and saline solution were inoculated with a non-pathogenic Escherichia coli indicator organism and treated at 281 nm. The volume averaged fluence delivered to the samples per pass ranged between 1.6 and 11.6 mJ cm−2 and was dependent on their absorption coefficients which ranged from 0.67 to 26.9 cm−1. Microbial inactivation ranging from 4.2 to 7.2 log10 was achieved within a reasonable number of passes or treatment time in pink and blue lemonade, coconut water, and saline solution which corresponded to an absorption coefficient below 6 cm−1 (UVT = 0.3%). Other than in beet juice blend, which had the highest absorption coefficient, a 1-log10 reduction fluence value in the range of other E. coli strains (previously reported in water) was reported (1.9–5.8 mJ cm−2). These results also suggest that the continuous-flow UV-LED system can be used to investigate inactivation kinetics and effects on nutritional and quality parameters at multiple wavelengths following treatment of low UVT water samples and high UVT juices and beverages with absorption coefficients up to 10–12 cm−1 (4.6e−3 to 6.3e−6% UVT).

Producing a thermally sterilized egg-based product with increased shelf life without losing the sensory and nutritional properties of the freshly prepared product is challenging. Until recently, all commercial shelf-stable egg-based products were sterilized using conventional thermal processing; however, this heat treatment was problematic as quality attributes of the product were negatively affected. Combining high pressure with high temperature is a potential alternative to retorting for the production of shelf-stable egg-based products. This review discusses the challenges of high pressure thermal sterilization as an alternative processing method of producing shelf-stable egg products. Attention is given to product improvement in terms of overall quality through modification of ingredients, formulation, processing and packaging, offering the industry a practical way to produce egg-based products with increased shelf life and appealing quality to the consumer.

High-pressure processing (HPP) of foods mainly utilizes flexible packaging materials for commercial products. Many materials have been evaluated for their adequacy in the process. There are a number of integrity requirements for these packaging materials that must be complied with for acceptance and use in different product applications. These include visual integrity, gas permeability, seal and physical strength properties, and global migration of packaging components into the food, some of which are specific to either refrigerated or shelf-stable products. Different laminate options reported in the literature were reviewed in this article with the aim of classifying suitable packaging materials for HPP at both low- and high-temperature conditions according to these requirements. Packaging materials currently utilized in industry are also listed. The suitability of standards to assess requirement deviations after HPP is also discussed. Current scientific literature has shown to lack information on one or more of these requirements to provide a complete picture for their suitability. Studies have shown that EVOH-based and other high-pressure–high-temperature-treated materials do not follow the barrier requirements established by the US Army for shelf-stable products. However, they still show potential for their utilization in the development of commercial products. The importance of package headspace on package integrity is also highlighted. Studies on transport phenomena such as material sorption and diffusion of components from the food and the pressurization fluid are described. Methods such as SEM, C-SAM, DSC, FT-IR, and X-Ray diffraction provide complementary information to assess the structural and barrier changes observed during HPP. The article concludes by providing preliminary recommendations according to specific requirements that are met after the process. Other types of materials not yet evaluated for HPP are presented as potential alternatives to be explored for this technology.