Accelerated brining kinetics and NaCl distribution of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) using pulsed electric field

Abstract

Brining is a representative processing method for the long-term preservation of food materials. We analyzed the effects of pulsed electric fields (PEF) at various strengths and brining solutions with two different NaCl concentrations (10 g/mL and 15 g/mL) at 25 °C for 12 h on Chinese cabbage. PEF had significant effects on mass transfer kinetics; k1 and k2 values were highest for PEF at 2.5 kV/cm, regardless of the brining solution concentration. Additionally, salinity and solid gain were highest for PEF at 2.5 kV/cm and gradually increased, depending on the strength of PEF. The hardness and cutting force were influenced by the PEF strength and NaCl concentration of the brining solution. The microstructure differed significantly between the PEF-pretreated and untreated samples. These results demonstrate that PEF can effectively reduce the brining time and NaCl concentration during brining process and may guide further research aimed at the practical application of PEF on food processing. © 2023