Nonthermal and Innovative Food Processing Methods

Handbook of Research on Food Processing and Preservation Technologies will be a 5-volume collection that attempts to illustrate various design, development, and applications of novel and innovative strategies for food processing and preservation. The role and applications of minimal processing techniques (such as ozone treatment, vacuum drying, osmotic dehydration, dense phase carbon dioxide treatment, pulsed electric field, and high-pressure assisted freezing) are also discussed, along with a wide range of applications. The handbook also explores some exciting computer-aided techniques emerging in the food processing sector, such as robotics, radio frequency identification (RFID), three-dimensional food printing, artificial intelligence, etc. Some emphasis has also been given on nondestructive quality evaluation techniques (such as image processing, terahertz spectroscopy imaging technique, near infrared, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique, etc.) for food quality and safety evaluation. The significant roles of food properties in the design of specific foods and edible films have been elucidated as well.

The first volume in this set, Nonthermal and Innovative Food Processing Methods, provides a detailed discussion of many nonthermal food process techniques. These include high-pressure processing, ultraviolet light technology, microwave-assisted extraction, high pressure assisted freezing, microencapsulation, dense phase carbon dioxide aided preservation, to name a few.

The volume is a treasure house of valuable information and will be an excellent reference for researchers, scientists, students, growers, traders, processors, industries, and others.

Megh R. Goyal, PhD, PE, is a Retired Professor in Agricultural and Biomedical Engineering from the General Engineering Department in the College of Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Campus. He has worked as a Soil Conservation Inspector and as a Research Assistant at Haryana Agricultural University and Ohio State University. He was the first agricultural engineer to receive the professional license in Agricultural Engineering from the College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico, and was proclaimed as the Father of Irrigation Engineering in Puerto Rico for the twentieth century by the ASABE, Puerto Rico Section, for his pioneering work on micro irrigation, evapotranspiration, agroclimatology, and soil and water engineering. During his professional career of over 52 years, he has received many prestigious awards. A prolific author and editor, he has written more than 200 journal articles and several textbooks and has edited over 75 books.

Preeti Birwal, PhD, is working as a Scientist (processing and food engineering) in the Department of Processing and Food Engineering at the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India. She is currently working in the area of nonthermal food preservation, fermented beverages, food packaging, and technology of millet-based beer. She has served at Jain Deemed to be University, Bangalore, as a member of the board of examiners and placements. She has participated at several national and international conferences and seminars and has delivered lectures as a resource person on doubling the farmers’ income through dairy technology in training sponsored by the directorate of Extension, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. Dr. Birwal has published research papers, an edited book, book chapters, popular articles, conference papers, abstracts, and editorial opinions. She is advising several MTech scholars in food technology and has successfully guided five postgraduate students for their dissertation work. She also serves as an external examiner for various Indian state agricultural universities. She is also serving as editor and reviewer of several journals. Dr. Birwal has been named outstanding reviewer of the month by the online journal Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science. She has successfully completed AUTOCAD 2D & 3D certification. She is a life member of IDEA. She graduated with a degree in Dairy Technology from ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India; a master’s degree in Food Process Engineering and Management from NIFTEM, Haryana; and a PhD (Dairy Engineering) from ICAR-NDRI, Bangalore, India. She is recipient of fellowships from MHRD, Nestle India, GATE, and UGC-RGNF.

Monika Sharma, PhD, is working as a Scientist in the Dairy Technology Division at the Southern Regional Station of the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Bengaluru, India, and is actively involved in teaching and research activities. She was formerly a scientist at ICAR--Central Institute of Postharvest Engineering & Technology, Ludhiana, Punjab, for more than five years. Dr. Sharma has more than ten years of research experience. She has worked in the area of convenience and ready-to-eat foods, functional foods, quality evaluation, composite dairy foods, starch modification and its application in dairy food products, etc. Presently, she is working in the area of functional and indigenous dairy foods. She has published several research papers in peer-reviewed journals, edited books, technical bulletins, technology inventory books, book chapters, popular articles, and more than 20 conference papers. She has successfully guided six postgraduate students for their dissertation work. She has worked as a principal investigator of several research projects and has developed various technologies, for which she has also conducted entrepreneurship development programs. She has earned several awards, such as an ICAR-JRF award and fellowship, first rank in all India level Agricultural Research Services examination in the discipline of Food Science & Technology ICAR-NET, conference awards, institute awards, etc. She is a life member of the Indian Science Congress and the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India). She received a degree in Food Science & Technology from Delhi University, New Delhi; an MSc in Food Technology from Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar; and a PhD in Dairy Technology from ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, Haryana, India.