Comparative Analysis of Non-Thermal Dairy Preservation Technologies: HPP, PEF, and UV-C Light Treatment

The usual way to keep dairy safe is by heating it. Methods like High-Temperature Short-Time (HTST) pasteurization and -High Temperature (UHT) processing are common. They kill microbes but the heat can damage vitamins, whey proteins and the natural taste of the milk. New non-thermal methods, such as High-Pressure Processing (HPP) Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) and UV-C treatment (Raslysation) can kill bacteria and spoilage organisms while using heat. These new methods are attracting interest because they can keep the nutrition, function and flavor of foods better. This paper compares HPP, PEF and UV-C processing. It looks at how each method kills microbes how they affect food chemistry, how much energy they need how much they cost and how they can extend shelf life.