In the last decennia, there is an increasing interest in pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment. The product is often treated in a continuous flow treatment chamber with stainless steel electrodes and exposed to short pulsed electric fields, typically 2¿4 kV·mm¿ 1 during 1¿10 ¿s. Due to direct contact of the treatment chamber electrodes with the food product, the main elements of these stainless steel electrodes are able to dissolve in the treated product. The magnitude of the material transfer depends on many factors such as current magnitude, pulse duration, pulse shape, and product constitution. In this contribution, the effect of metal dissolving during a monopolar pulse shape, generated by a pulse forming network, is investigated. Experiments are carried out with single and repeated PEF treatments in orange juice. These experiments showed that, due to PEF treatment, dissolved metals are present in the juice. The four main elements of stainless steel, iron, chromium, nickel, and manganese, have been considered in particular. The metal concentrations found do not exceed the legislation values for fruit juices and the EU Drinking Water Directive [EU Drinking Water Directive, http://www.europe.eu.int/.] for human consumption. From the experiments, a relationship between dissolved metals in orange juice and the transferred charge is derived. In addition, a lifetime prediction of the treatment chamber caused by release of metals has been made.@en

Liquid pumpable food is mostly pasteurised by heat treatment. In the last decennia there is an increasing interest in so-called Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatment. During this treatment food is pumped between two metal electrodes and exposed to short high electric field pulses, typical 2¿4 kV·mm¿ 1 during 1¿10 ¿s. During this treatment the stainless steel electrodes are in direct contact with the food product. Associated with the charge that has to be exchanged at the interface of electrode and food, electrode material may be transferred from electrode to food. This transfer of material may cause serious electrode corrosion and adds metals to the food. The magnitude of material transfer depends on many factors such as current magnitude, pulse duration, pulse shape and fluid constitution. In this contribution the effect of three different mono-polar pulse shapes on treatment chamber corrosion is investigated. Experiments are carried out in an aqueous sodium chloride solution. The experiments showed that due to PEF treatment dissolved metals are present in the liquid. The four main elements of stainless steel, iron, chromium, nickel and manganese, have been considered in particular. These elements could only be detected in the liquid when it was repeatedly exposed to a Pulsed Electric Field treatment, which was realised by repeatedly circulating. From the experiments a relationship between dissolved metals in sodium chloride and the transferred charge is derived. With these values an upper limit for dissolved metals caused by PEF treatment can be defined.@en