Abstract The food industry faces a critical dichotomy between ensuring microbiological safety and meeting consumer demand for minimally processed, clean-label products. High-intensity ultrasound stands out as a promising non-thermal alternative; however, its application is limited by cavitation-induced lipid oxidation and associated sensory changes. This review critically evaluates the integration of ultrasound with natural bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, essential oils, and antimicrobial peptides, as an advanced food preservation strategy. Recent evidence indicates that this combination promotes a dual-protection synergy: on the one hand, ultrasound induces sonoporation and increases microbial membrane permeability, thereby enhancing the penetration and antimicrobial action of bioactive compounds; on the other hand, compounds with antioxidant activity act as preferential scavengers of cavitation-generated radicals, reducing lipid peroxidation, preserving sensitive components of the food matrix, and minimizing quality losses. Thus, the observed synergy is not limited to enhanced microbial inactivation, but also involves the mitigation of oxidative effects inherent to ultrasonic processing. Analysis of recent studies demonstrates that combined treatments frequently promote synergistic microbial reductions, exceeding the expected additive effects by 1 to 3 log units, against resistant pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli , particularly when associated with essential oil nanoemulsions. In addition, important gaps related to industrial scalability, especially acoustic field heterogeneity, have been identified, reinforcing the need for future studies aimed at optimizing process parameters that reconcile antimicrobial efficiency, oxidative stability, and nutritional integrity.
Amaral et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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