Effect of Power Ultrasound on Mass Transfer in Food Processing

The use of power ultrasound in food industry has increased during the last few years. A progressive number of studies have been carried out in that direction. Ultrasonic energy represents a promising tool to produce or to enhance a series of food processes without affecting the quality of the foodstuff.

Mass transfer processes are some of the most effective for the application of ultrasonic energy. This work deals with two different kind of mass transfer processes assisted by power ultrasound: water transfer in vegetable dehydration and supercritical CO2 transfer in almond-oil extraction. Ultrasonic energy was applied in direct contact with the substance to be transferred. Although clear differences were observed among the two treatments the effect of the ultrasonic energy was evident in all cases. The parametric study of the water transfer process here presented illuminates about the mechanisms involved.