The optimal application of Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) technology, used by food industry to assist mass transfer processes, depends on the effectiveness of the induced electroporation. The present work aimed at exploring the application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) combined with Computer Vision System (CVS) analysis to assess the spatial distribution of electroporation in apple tissue. PEF-treated apple samples were compared with Dipping (Dip) and Vacuum Impregnation (VI) to gain insight into the spatial distribution of mechanisms that lead to microstructural modifications over time.

CVS showed that electroporation modified heterogeneously apple microstructure, causing enzymatic browning unevenly across the samples. MRI transverse relaxation times (T₂) maps and longitudinal relaxation times (T₁)-weighted images throughout apple tissue confirmed the inhomogeneous distribution and extent of the cell disruption, along with the release of intracellular content toward the external solution.

Industrial relevance

The novel applications of pulsed electric fields require fast and reliable methods to detect and estimate the breakage of the membranes integrity in order to boost their industrial adoption and optimization. The present study provided analytical tools able to monitor the spatial distribution of electroporation in plant tissue samples within minutes and consequently to speed up and improve the assessment of different PEF treatments.

中文翻译：

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苹果组织的脉冲电场处理：借助磁共振成像和计算机视觉系统进行电穿孔的空间分布

食品工业用于辅助传质过程的脉冲电场（PEF）技术的最佳应用取决于诱导电穿孔的效率。本工作旨在探索磁共振成像（MRI）与计算机视觉系统（CVS）分析相结合的应用，以评估苹果组织中电穿孔的空间分布。将经过PEF处理的苹果样品与浸渍（Dip）和真空浸渍（VI）进行比较，以深入了解导致微结构随时间变化的机理的空间分布。

CVS显示，电穿孔可异质地修饰苹果的微观结构，导致整个样品的酶促褐变不均匀。整个苹果组织的MRI横向弛豫时间（T ₂）图和纵向弛豫时间（T ₁）加权图像确认了细胞破坏的不均匀分布和程度，以及细胞内内容物向外部溶液的释放。

行业相关性

脉冲电场的新颖应用需要快速可靠的方法来检测和评估膜完整性的破损，以促进其工业应用和优化。本研究提供了能够在几分钟之内监测植物组织样品中电穿孔空间分布的分析工具，从而加快并改善了不同PEF处理方法的评估。