PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for sterilizing liquid food hardly impairing active ingredients and flavor in food.SOLUTION: An alternating-current electric field with a frequency of 20 kHz to 50 MHz is applied to liquid food flowing between electrodes to allow an induced current to flow in the liquid food. The liquid food is heated to a temperature not lower than a critical temperature of microorganisms to be sterilized, by the induced current flowing as a result, and then cooled. The microorganisms are annihilated or damaged by this treatment, and many of the damaged microorganisms are annihilated by low-temperature heating treatment of 80°C or lower performed afterwards.COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】 食品中の有効成分や風味を損なうことが少ない液状食品の滅菌方法を提供する。【解決手段】 電極間を流れる液状食品に周波数20kHz~50MHzの交流電界を印加し、液状食品中に誘導電流を流す。その結果流れる誘導電流によって液状食品を滅菌の対象となる微生物の臨界温度以上に短時間の間に上昇させた後冷却する。この処理で微生物は死滅するかダメージを受ける。そしてその後に行われる80℃以下の低温加熱処理によってダメージを受けた微生物の多くは死滅する。【選択図】 図1
