Advancements of Novel Processing Technology in Prepared Dishes Industry

In recent years, prepared dishes entered millions of households, and the market size was continuously expanding. Traditional processing of prepared dishes mainly relies on thermal methods such as high-temperature cooking and high-temperature sterilization, which often lead to issues like texture damage, flavor attenuation, and nutrient loss. With the emergence and development of new processing technologies, novel thermal treatment techniques, including microwave heating, radio frequency heating, and ohmic heating-can, could reduce flavor and nutrient loss during blanching. Ultra-high pressure technology, as a typical representative of non-thermal physical processing, can be applied in various processing steps of prepared dishes, such as shelling, marinating, tenderization, and sterilization. Therefore, this article starts from the current development status of prepared dishes, reviews and summarizes the problems related to nutrition, flavor, and quality impacts caused by traditional processing methods, and thereby introduces a discussion on new processing technologies. It focuses on analyzing the research progress and applications of new processing technologies in quality regulation, flavor restoration, and nutrient preservation from three aspects: Novel thermal treatment technologies, non-thermal physical processing technologies, and combined treatments. This will provide technical support for the healthy development of the prepared dish industry facilitated by new processing technologies.