Salt content dependent dielectric properties of pistachios relevant to radio-frequency pasteurization

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of salt content during radio-frequency (RF) heating on rate of temperature increase, dielectric properties (DPs), and reduction of pathogens in pistachios. Also, the effect of RF heating on pistachio quality of varying salt content was determined. Pistachios of different salt content (0, 100, and 330 mg sodium/serving) were inoculated with Salmonella enterica and treated in a 27.12-MHz RF heater. The RF heating rate increased when salt content was in the range of 0-100 mg sodium/serving, but there were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in the rate of temperature rise after salt content reached to 100 mg sodium/serving. Both dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor of pistachios increased with rising salt content. Along with increased salt content, RF treatment time required to reduce this pathogen by 4 log CFU/g decreased first and then remained the same above an upper limit of salt content corresponding to the peak heating rate. RF treatment did not significantly (P > 0.05) cause changes in the color and level of lipid oxidation of pistachios. The results of the current study imply that RF heating may be a potential intervention for inactivating foodborne pathogens in pistachios and that the effect of pasteurization is influenced by dielectric loss factor relative to salt content.