Brazilian researchers use ultrasound to make processed food healthier

When thinking about ultrasound, one usually associates it with a technology used to monitor health or pregnancies, not with the kitchen. Now, however, this tool can be used to make food healthier, according to a research group from the University of São Paulo. Ultrasound technology can enhance the nutritional properties of fruit juice, for instance, creating better quality coconut water by deactivating proteins which cause undesirable changes to the color and transparency of the liquid when industrialized.

The Process Engineering Studies Group (Ge²P), from the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture of the University of São Paulo (Esalq/USP), has been researching the use of ultrasound in food processing since 2013.

By studying how ultrasound works, how it propagates in food materials and properties, the scientists realized that this technology could be useful in...