Mangoes are a beloved tropical fruit enjoyed worldwide for their rich flavor, vibrant color, and nutritional benefits. When dried, mangoes become a convenient, shelf-stable snack that retains much of the fruit’s original taste and nutrition. However, producing high-quality dried mango is no simple task. Traditional drying methods can result in lengthy processing times, nutrient loss, and alterations in texture and color.
Enter Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) technology—a cutting-edge, non-thermal processing method that can transform how we process dried fruits, particularly mangoes.
Technologie PEF involves applying short bursts (pulses) of high-voltage electricity to plant-based materials like fruit. These electric pulses create microscopic pores in the cell membranes—a process known as electroporation. This structural change significantly enhances the movement of water and solutes in and out of the cells.
In other words, PEF makes mango cells more “permeable,” allowing moisture to escape more efficiently during drying.
This can, of course, be applied to a wide range of commodities, like pineapple, carrots, and not only for dehydration, but also to increase the extraction of juices.
The most immediate benefit of PEF is reduced drying time. By disrupting the cell structure, PEF makes it easier for water to migrate from the interior of mango slices to the surface during drying.
PEF treatment significantly improves mango drying by speeding up moisture removal, reducing energy use, and shortening overall drying time. It helps preserve color, flavor, and nutrients by enabling lower-temperature drying, while also minimizing browning and surface stickiness.
Faster drying times mean reduced energy consumption—a key advantage in large-scale production. Moreover, because PEF can reduce product losses due to over-drying or browning, producers can increase their usable yield.
As dehydration is both costly and time-consuming, even the slightest improvement has a significant impact. Typically, drying times can be reduced by 10-35%, depending on the type of fruit or vegetable and the processing conditions. Below shows the results achieved during our trials on Mango in the OptiCept lab.
The OPTICEPT® SD7 PEF system leverages advanced PEF technology to enhance the dehydration of vegetables and fruits, delivering considerable improvements in energy efficiency, processing throughput, and product quality. This cutting-edge system is designed to meet the high demands of large-scale food production, enabling significant operational improvements while aligning with sustainability targets.
Developed in collaboration between OptiCept Technologies and FPS Food Process Solutions, the SD7 system reflects the synergies of expert knowledge in PEF technology and decades of engineering experience in hygienic food processing equipment.
By making drying faster, more energy-efficient, and less damaging to the fruit’s natural goodness, PEF is helping to elevate this tropical treat to new levels of quality and sustainability. PEF technology reshapes the production process.
Whether you’re a food scientist, mango processor, or simply a dried fruit enthusiast, keep an eye on this pulsed electric field revolution.
OptiCept Technologies, en collaboration avec FPS Food Process Solutions, est fier de lancer le nouveau système S7 PEF pour les produits alimentaires solides tels que les pommes de terre et la déshydratation des fruits et légumes.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how PEF technology is applied in the drying process of pineapples, its advantages, and why it’s set to become a key player in the food industry.
Les aliments séchés qui ont été traités avec la technologie CEPT™ bénéficient de plusieurs avantages. Regardez cette vidéo explicative pour comprendre comment cela fonctionne.
OptiCept invents, designs, and manufactures smart, sustainable technologies to unleash the full potential of organic material.
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