ABSTRACT
Urbanization has changed the lifestyles of people and their priorities towards the consumption of processed foods, and the trend is on the rise. Thermal processing of foods ensures prolonged shelf-life and food safety; however, it also contributes to undesirable changes in the food matrix affecting the functionality of foods and their flavor, colors, vitamins, and textural softening [1]. In recent years, consumers’ demand for minimally processed foods with nutrients has increased drastically. Simple, cost-effective, and energy-efficient novel alternative techniques are gaining importance in meeting consumers’ demands. Many innovative technologies have been developed to inactivate microorganisms, such as pulsed electric field, high hydrostatic pressure, ultrasound, dense phase carbon dioxide, cold plasma, ozone, and pulsed light (PL), and these are gaining popularity in the food-processing sector. These novel technologies have potential in preserving the nutritional and delicate sensory qualities of food and hence can be used for the minimal processing of foods [2]. Among these non-thermal technologies, one of the emerging technologies is light-based processing, which not only reduces the microbial load but also retains the nutrient quality of solid and liquid foods. This novel technology is being employed to decontaminate foods, packaging material, medical devices, and processing equipment related to the food, medical, and pharmaceutical sectors [3–7].
